Scientists from countries at the forefront of stem cell research have been discussing ways to pool resources and share information in a bid to speed up the development of new medical applications.
Leading researchers and representatives of major funding organizations from about 12 different countries gathered in London on Friday, May 30 for a meeting convened by the UK's Medical Research Council (MRC).
It was the second time the international group had met since the MRC announced in January that it was setting up an informal discussion forum to tackle stem cell research on a global rather than national basis.
Delegates agreed that a major priority in the next few months must be the establishment of a Web site through which researchers can share information on a range of issues, from techniques used for stem cell characterization to the ethical and regulatory issues faced within individual countries.
"There is a...