Oregon Public Broadcasting

Scientists in Japan and the U.S. announced a new way Tuesday of creating stem cells. Now some Oregonians are asking whether similar work -- unveiled at OHSU’s Primate Center last week -- is considered moot. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

The Japanese team managed to make stem cells by genetically tweaking adult human cells with a virus.

Unlike the team at Oregon’s primate center, it hasn’t had to use an egg. But Don Reed, a stem cell expert and the director of Americans for Cures, says one breakthrough doesn’t overshadow the other.

Don Reed: “They’re two different approaches toward the same goal. As to which one will ultimately be more valuable. That’s anybody’s guess. Now the religious right very desperately wants it be the one announced a couple of days ago. Because that involves no direct embryo.”

Reed says the two bodies of research can be equated to a hammer and a saw in a toolbox: Who knows which will be the most useful for the job at hand?

The two teams are already studying each other’s work and adapting techniques.