Stem cells have not made as many headlines as of yesteryears, when the whole concept fell under intense scrutiny and even opposing litigation in the 1990’s, a period when the technology still struggled to overcome the thick plastered layers of moral skepticism and discord laid by religious advocates who believed the science to be a step too far for humans. Indeed, it seems harder these days to find news titles mentioning those specific words in latest breakthroughs in medicinal sciences-a purposeful omission, perhaps, by editors concerned of their conservative audience.


Yet, each time I peer closer at many of the exciting and innovative advances, I always manage to find stem cell engineering as a pinnacle point in their development, despite it not being referenced in the title. The recent news of 3-D printing combined with stem cells creating a new field of regenerative medicines, of cartilage growth from stem cell lab cultures, and of new means of stem cell therapy to eradicate genetic diseases are just some of the many examples of modern science at work, some of which make it truly exciting to be a scientist today.

So where have all the naysayers and ominous foreboders gone in the recent decade? Why has not there been similarly strong opposite onto stem cell-related research as in the past? One answer comes from developing new technologies that circumvent the initial objection- the way cells were harvested. Embryotic stem cells are now harvested in a manner that is nonintrusive to those who argue life in fertilized eggs. Another answer could be the relative decline of staunch religious believers, especially amongst the younger generation now inundated with the bounty and evident prowess of science. Regardless of how or why, the result is a positively rampant growth of stem cell research.

I hail the science of stem cells as the revolutionary basis for a brand new era of medicinal sciences. Granted, as with all new things, skepticism, In healthy doses, is a good thing. But there is no doubt that the full mobilization and pursuit of stem cell research holds too much potential for us to allow it to be sidelined by archaic rational. The titles may not say stem cells made such and such innovation possible, but stem cell science is more pervasive than ever, and the results speak for themselves. The results say stem cell science is here to stay.