24th Meeting of the Stem Cell Oversight Committee
Minutes
| Chair: | John Williams | |
|---|---|---|
| Members: | Judy Birdsell | Bruce Brandhorst |
| Shane Green | Beverly Hanck | |
| Arthur Leader | Daryl Pullman | |
| Cheryl Robertson | Laura Shanner | |
| Marc-André Sirard | ||
| Regrets: | Alain Beaudet (ex-officio) | Donald Evans |
| Personnel: | Lynne Cayer | Ethics Policy Advisor |
| André Gratton | A/Director of Governance and Corporate Secretary | |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 11:00 and welcomed everyone to the 24th meeting (teleconference) of the Stem Cell Oversight Committee (SCOC).
Prior to the review of four applications, members agreed that these types of stem cell research applications could be reviewed by way of teleconference.
1. Review of Applications
Of the ten applications to conduct stem cell research in institutions receiving Agency funds, SCOC reviewed:
- Five responses to SCOC's requests for additional information following its October 2008 meeting:
- 1 amendment to a CIHR-funded grant to include the use of hESC
- 1 application to be funded by a charitable foundation
- 1 application to use start-up funds
- 2 applications to be funded by the Stem Cell Network
- Five new applications to use human pluripotent stem cells
- 3 applications to be funded by CIHR
- 1 application to be provincially funded
- 1 application to use start-up funds
Response #1
This application, to be supported with start-up funding, proposes to investigate the genetic mechanisms responsible for the differentiation of hESC into definitive endoderm cell types.
The October 2008 application indicated that non-human animals would be engrafted with hESC in this project, but engraftment experiments were not clearly described in the proposal. SCOC deferred recommendation on this application, pending the receipt and review of a detailed description of the engraftment experiments to be conducted.
The documents submitted for January 2009 review satisfied SCOC that the proposed research conforms to the Guidelines.
Recommendation for Response #1:
SCOC recommends that this application be approved for the use of SCOC-approved CA1, CA2, H1, H9, hES2 and hES3 hESC lines.
Response #2
This application, an amendment to a CIHR-funded grant to include the use of hESC, proposes to study the intracellular trafficking of a mutant form of an ion channel that is found in cystic fibrosis. The use of hESC lines was not described in the original application for funding as KCL-003-CF1, an hESC line that carries a genetic mutation found in most cystic fibrosis, was developed after the funding was approved. KCL-003-CF1 has since been deposited in the UK Stem Cell Bank, which facilitates the sharing of quality controlled stem cell lines by the clinical and research communities.
At its October 2008 meeting, SCOC noted that:
- the documents related to consent for the derivation of KCL-003-CF1 had not been submitted for review;
- in the UK it is permissible to create human pluripotent stem cell lines by somatic cell nuclear transfer, a practice that does not conform to the Guidelines; and
- one of the collaborators on this proposal is privately employed.
SCOC deferred recommendation on this application, pending receipt of the documents used in the consent process for the derivation of hESC line KCL-003-CF1, confirmation that the embryos were created for reproductive purposes and were no longer required for those purposes, and contracts related to the research proposal.
The documents submitted for January 2009 review satisfied SCOC that the proposed research conforms to the Guidelines.
Recommendation for Response #2:
SCOC recommends that the hESC line KCL-003-CF1 was derived in a manner consistent with the Guidelines. SCOC also recommends that this application be approved for the use of the KCL-003-CF1 hESC line.
Response #3
This application, to be funded by a charitable organization, proposes to accelerate understanding of the use of hESC-derived islet tissue for the treatment of diabetes. The applicant requests the use of CyT49, an hESC line that has not yet been reviewed by SCOC. The line was derived from an embryo created using a third-party donor oocyte.
At its October 2008 meeting, SCOC deferred recommendation on this application, pending a reasonable attempt by the applicants to re-contact the oocyte donor to determine if she objects to research use, and the receipt and review of contracts related to the research proposal.
The documents submitted for January 2009 review satisfied SCOC that the proposed research conforms to the Guidelines. Specifically, in the jurisdiction where the CyT49 was derived, existing law does not permit follow-up with the oocyte donor. SCOC was assured that full dispositional authority was given to the embryo donor at the time of oocyte donation. The applicant also confirmed that there is no contractual relationship between the company that sponsored the derivation of CyT49 and the applicant's institution.
Recommendation for Response #3:
SCOC recommends that the hESC line CyT49 was derived in a manner consistent with the Guidelines. SCOC also recommends that this application be approved for the use of the CyT49 hESC line.
Response #4
This application, to be funded by the Stem Cell Network, proposes to study whether photoreceptor neurons that are differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells can rescue vision when transplanted in blind mouse hosts.
The October 2008 application identified several partners for funding, some of which have indicated interest in intellectual property that may result from the research. SCOC deferred recommendation on this application, pending the receipt and review of contracts related to the research proposal.
The documents submitted for January 2009 review satisfied SCOC that the proposed research conforms to the Guidelines, with the understanding that the contracts are not related to the hESC experiments proposed in the grant.
Recommendation for Response #4:
SCOC recommends that this application be approved for the use of the SCOC-approved CA1 and CA2 hESC lines and induced human pluripotent stem cells, with the understanding that the contracts are not related to the hESC experiments proposed in the grant.
Response #5
This application, to be funded by the Stem Cell Network, proposes to develop methods and technologies to generate functionally useful and clinically sufficient numbers of blood stem cells for any individual.
The October 2008 application indicated that the project will receive partial support "subject to the terms of a mutually beneficial Research Agreement to be drafted and finalized". SCOC deferred recommendation on this application, pending the receipt and review of contracts related to the research proposal.
The documents submitted for January 2009 review satisfied SCOC that the proposed research conforms to the Guidelines.
Recommendation for Response #5:
SCOC recommends that this application be approved for the use of the SCOC-approved H1, H9, HSF-6, CA1, CA2, CC1 and CC3 hESC lines and induced human pluripotent stem cells.
Application #1
This application, to be funded by CIHR, proposes to generate lung progenitor cells differentiated from hESCs and induced pluripotent stem cells that possess the ability to engraft and regenerate lung epithelial tissue. The proposed research conforms to the Guidelines.
Recommendation for Application #1:
SCOC recommends that this application be approved for the use of SCOC-approved H1, H9, CA1, CA2 and hES3 hESC lines and induced human pluripotent stem cells.
Application #2
This application, to be funded by CIHR, proposes to develop new techniques to direct the in vitro differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into specific neuron subtypes, and test the ability of a vector to prevent teratoma formation as a first step towards safe clinical use of induced pluripotent stem cells. The proposed research conforms to the Guidelines.
Recommendation for Application #2:
SCOC recommends that this application be approved for the use of SCOC-approved CA1, CA2, H1 and H9 hESC lines and induced human pluripotent stem cells.
Application #3
This application, to be provincially funded, establishes a human induced pluripotent stem cell facility. Patient cells acquired with Research Ethics Board approval will be biobanked, reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells, and transplanted into mice to test their pluripotency. Human embryonic stem cell lines will be used as positive controls. The proposed research conforms to the Guidelines.
Recommendation for Application #3:
SCOC recommends that this application be approved for the use of SCOC-approved CA1, CA2, H1, H9, HUES-1, HUES-3, HUES-4, HUES-9, hES2 and hES3 hESC lines and induced human pluripotent stem cells.
Application #4
This application, to be supported with start-up funding, proposes to examine factors that hESCs deposit into their environment, to better understand how pluripotency is regulated. The proposed research conforms to the Guidelines.
Recommendation for Application #4:
SCOC recommends that this application be approved for the use of SCOC-approved H1, H9, CA1 and CA2, hESC lines.
Application #5
This application, to be funded by CIHR, proposes to investigate whether photoreceptor neurons that are differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells can rescue vision when transplanted in blind mouse hosts. The proposed research conforms to the Guidelines, with the understanding that the contracts are not related to the hESC experiments proposed in the grant.
Recommendation for Application #5:
SCOC recommends that this application be approved for the use of SCOC-approved CA1 and CA2 hESC lines and induced human pluripotent stem cells, with the understanding that the contracts are not related to the hESC experiments proposed in the grant.
Adjournment
The 24th meeting (teleconference) of the Stem Cell Oversight Committee adjourned at 12:30.
