Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Working with Human Tissues for Translational Cancer Research
Published on: November 26, 2015
Stem cell research and the ethics of transparency
1University of Oslo, Section for Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, Blindern, Oslo, Norway. j.h.solbakk@medisin.uio.no
Abstract:
Stem cell research represents a field of scientific inquiry subject to intense public and political attention and debate worldwide. There are several reasons for this. First, it is a research endeavor surrounded by great expectations of future therapeutic benefits. Some of these expectations seem to be well founded, while others originate from adult and embryonic research enthusiasts having hyped their case. A second reason why this represents a field of public and political attention relates to deeply felt concerns regarding the moral justifiability of sacrificing potential human lives for research. The aim of this paper is to discuss different ways of making the performance of international embryonic stem cell research more transparent, and of unveiling the need for more open-minded dialog concerning the ethical costs of this research endeavor.
Related Concept Videos
Embryonic Stem Cells
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...
Embryonic Stem Cells
Stem Cell Culture
Ethics in Research
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Somatic cells are...
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

