Researchers back beleaguered Trounson

Leading scientists came out today in support of beleaguered Stem Cell Centre of Excellence CEO Prof Alan Trounson, and urged the Federal government to pass the Stem Cell Bill, which is expected to go to a vote in the House of Representatives later today.

Trounson yesterday admitted that he had made a mistake when briefing Federal politicians, in saying that embryonic stem cells (ES cells) were used to repair the severed spinal column of a rat. In fact, embryonic germ cells (EG cells), similar cells from slightly older foetuses, were used in the experiments.

Opponents of ES cell research, including Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, seized upon the issue to claim that Trounson deliberately lied to Parliament for personal gain. Media reports suggested that $46.5 million in Federal funding for the Stem Cell Centre could be under threat, and Prime Minister John Howard was alleged to be seeking advice on the issue.

Prof Peter Rathjen, Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Adelaide and a participant in the Stem Cell Centre, said the issue was not so much that the misrepresentation occurred but rather that the criticism undermined the process used to select the winning bid for the Biotechnology Centre of Excellence.

"One of the things that has gone wrong is that in the minds of the public, the National Centre for Stem Cells and Alan Trounson are synonymous, but this is not the case," Rathjen said.

He said the winning bid was comprised of a consortium of researchers after stringent evaluation. The bid was selected on the strength of all of its participants, rather than just on its leader, he said.

"The process of selection was very credible," Rathjen said. "It's unfortunate [that this situation has occurred] because it undermines public confidence in science, which hasn't really been an issue in Australia before."

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researcher Prof Perry Bartlett said that Trounson's gaffe was an unnecessary thing to have happened, and a "silly slip".

"I don't think it will affect the Bill, but it probably hasn't done any great service to science," he said. Bartlett said scientists needed to be sure that the data they used in emotive debates had been peer-reviewed.

Side issue

Prof Peter Mountford, CEO of Stem Cell Sciences, one of the three stem cell companies slated to be involved with the new centre, said that Trounson's technical error was really a side issue, and the important one was the vote.

"There is an understandable expansion in lobbying efforts," he said. "The responsible people will do the responsible thing and go back to review the whole thing, including the Andrews Report, and come to the decision that this is very important despite the technical error."

Stem Cell Centre chairman Bob Moses also came out today in support of his CEO.

In a strongly-worded letter to Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane obtained by Australian Biotechnology News, Moses said it was disappointing that "the more radical (and desperate) of the opponents have opportunistically jumped on and grossly exaggerated this isolated incident in order to assassinate the character" of Trounson, who he described as "one of the finest, most honourable and most distinguished scientists in Australia".

"The attempt by the 'anti' embryonic stem cell advocates to depict this as a major scientific and moral argument for abandoning support for the [centre] is a far greater and more damaging misrepresentation than a failure to distinguish between two functionally indistinguishable cell types in a rat experiment," Moses wrote.

'Defuse the issue'

Dr Douglas Kerr, director of the Johns Hopkins TM Center, whose research was used by Trounson in his briefing, last night told Australian Biotechnology News that the potential of embryonic germ cells and ES cells was likely very similar.

"However, less has been done regarding EG cells and so we don't know that conclusively," he said. "We do not know of any differences. It is simply that we have not proven the ability of EG cells to differentiate into as many adult tissue types."

Kerr said he feared his comments to media yesterday had "turned into a major debacle" and he hoped to help defuse the issue.

Bill supported

Industry peak body AusBiotech and the Australian Academy of Sciences also made statements reinforcing their support for the Stem Cell bill.

"While we do not wish to restrict productive debate, AusBiotech is disappointed and concerned that the Bill may be delayed for several months, despite such a thorough, transparent and lengthy process conducted through the Andrews review," said AusBiotech executive director, Dr Tony Coulepis.

"The proposed legislation provides the regulatory framework for the controlled use and application of this important technology and reflects the position of the CoAG Meeting earlier this year."

Professor John White, the Academy's spokesperson on stem cells, said that work in embryonic and adult stem cells should go hand in hand.

- Additional reporting by Iain Scott