New Jersey became the second state to allocate public funds for the development of stem cell research after Gov. James McGreevey signed a bill passed by the legislature earlier this year.
The law permits the derivation and use of human embryonic stem cells, human embryonic germ cells and human adult stem cells for research, but bans cloning.
It also allocates approximately $9.5 million toward the project, a small sum compared to the $9.5 billion initiative approved by California voters on Nov. 2.
New Jersey and California will soon be joined by Massachusetts in their efforts to fund the research. Harvard University announced earlier this year that it was planning a multi-million dollar stem cell center.
McGreevey made every effort to ensure the success of what has been one of his pet projects before his resignation later this month.
As part of that effort, he is scheduled to appear at the statewide stem cell symposium held today.
More than 300 New Jersey scientists will attend the symposium, which will be held at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick.
"We're showing that New Jersey is already a hotbed of stem cell research," said Sherrie Preische '95, executive director of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology. "We're providing an opportunity for researchers to build collaborations among academic institutes and with biotech and pharmaceutical companies in New Jersey."
Symposium attendees plan to discuss new advances in the field of biotechnology and stem cell research.
President Tilghman will deliver the keynote address.
"I will be talking about . . . risks that I see on the horizon for stem cell research," Tilghman said. "One is when scientists succumb to what Alan Greenspan calls 'irrational exuberance,' where they overpromise and exaggerate the importance of stem cells or any other new discovery."
Ihor Lemischka, a molecular biology professor who will also speak at the symposium, said he also advocates caution for the scientific community.
"A lot of people have been making claims that stem cell research will cure Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and a range of other problems," he said. "Alzheimer's is a bit of a stretch. The important thing is not only to cure diseases but to develop diagnostics that show us how a disease progresses."
Stem cells are cells at an early stage of development that have the ability to become a number of different tissues or organs in the body. They also have high regenerative powers, meaning they can reproduce themselves for long periods of time.
Opponents to stem cell research claim that the eggs destroyed for the extraction of embryonic stem cells technically embody human lives and that destroying them is equal to destroying a mature human life.
Ashley Pavlic '07, president of the University's Pro-life Society said, a "human embryo is a human life. To use a human life for its parts is wrong and cannot be justified."
Yet many Princeton professors disagree with her view.
"We have to weigh the rights and privileges of a ball of cells versus those of a child with juvenile diabetes and judge between them," Tilghman said. "I'm willing to trade a potential life for the sake of helping living human beings who are suffering from intractable diseases."
She also said the new advances in the field will improve academic life at the University.
"This will be a good thing for us," she said. "We always benefit when there is good science going on in New Jersey."
Molecular biology professor Lee Silver agreed with Tilghman, noting that stem cell research in Princeton will attract graduate and undergraduate students.
"New Jersey has a very good chance of winning the hearts and minds of the people who will carry out this research," he said.
Despite opposition, stem cells appear to be part of the future of medical research.
Peter Singer, a professor at the Center of Human Values, said, "The dam has burst. I don't think that this can be stopped now."
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