Stem Cell Research
Columbia University believes that human embryo and human stem cell research is essential to the development of treatments for many human diseases. The University strongly supports the use of human embryos and human stem cells—embryonic, fetal and adult—for legitimate research and therapeutic purposes. This research is governed by the University’s Policy on the Conduct of Research with Human Embryos and Human Pluripotent Stem Cells and is overseen by the Columbia University Human Embryonic and Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Research Committee.
- Policy on the Conduct of Research with Human Embryos and Human Pluripotent Stem Cells (March 15, 2022)
- Form: Request for Stem Cell Research Committee Approval of Research Project - this is a PDF-fillable form. Follow these steps:
- First, download the form and save it to your computer prior to completion
- Complete it
- Save it
- Email the completed form to Helen Kim at [email protected]
FAQs - added 4/25/2022
No. These studies involve blood or hematopoietic stem cells, not pluripotent stem cells. So long as such cells are not reprogrammed to pluripotency, such studies are not within the purview of the Committee.
No, so long as pluripotent stem cells are not generated. If and when such cells or tissues are used to generate iPS cells, Committee approval would be required.
No. While studies using preimplantation embryos or embryo-like structures generated from pluripotent stem cells must be reviewed by the Committee, fetal tissue does not contain pluripotent stem cells and studies using fetal tissue do not require Committee approval. If fetal tissue or cells are used to generate iPS cells, Committee approval is required.