Scope

This Research Guide includes sources dealing with the science behind stem cell research and the political, religious, and ethical controversies surrounding it.

Overview

Encyclopedia of Bioethics
College Library Reference Collection: QH 332 E52 2004
Refer to "Stem Cell Research" in the Volume 5 index

The Merck Manual of Medical Information
College Library Reference Collection: RC81 M55 2003
Refer to “Stem Cell Transplantation” and “What are Stem Cells?” pages 1081-1083

Encyclopaedia Britannica Online 1992 (updated daily)
Britannica Online is a searchable collection of authoritative references, including Britannica's latest encyclopedia articles. Basic instructions for Encyclopædia Britannica Online

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center 1990 - to date (updated daily)
Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center (OVRC) includes the acclaimed social issues series published by Greenhaven Press, as well as core reference content from other Gale and Macmillan Reference USA sources and provides viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.

Finding Journal and News Articles

Below are links to databases that cover this subject area. The truncation symbol for all of them is an asterisk (*) unless otherwise noted.

Sample searches for databases:

Stem cell research
Embryonic stem cell*
Stem cell* and Congress
Stem cell* and Alzheimer (or another relevant disease)
Stem cell* and ethic*
Embryos and medical ethic*
Stem cell* and cloning

Recommended Databases:

Academic Search 1984 - to date (updated daily)
This library database indexes approximately 3,100 popular magazines and academic journals and provides the full-text articles from approximately 1,000 journals. Basic instructions for Academic Search

General Science Full Text 1984 - to date (updated monthly)
Indexes 150 popular and scholarly periodicals, as well as the Science section of the New York Times. Subjects include biology, chemistry, earth sciences, environment, nutrition, genetics, medicine and health. Basic instructions for General Science Full Text

Global Newsbank 1996 - to date (updated monthly)
Global NewsBank covers issues and events in Africa, Asia, Europe, the former Soviet Union, Pacific Rim, Central and South America and the Middle East. It is ideal for researching a wide variety of international developments related to politics, economics, science and business. The full-text news articles are from more than 1,500 international sources. Basic instructions for Global Newsbank

Health and Wellness Resource Center 1994 - to date (updated daily)
Provides health information for nursing and allied health students, as well as consumer health research. It offers full text for more than 150 periodicals, six reference books, and over 500 pamphlets.

Health Source: Consumer Edition 1984 - to date (updated daily)
Provides the full text since 1990 from approximately 280 periodicals covering nutrition, exercize, medical self-care, drugs and alcohol, and much more. Basic instructions for Health Source: Consumer Edition

CQ Researcher November 1991 - to date (updated weekly)
Contains weekly reports from Congressional Quarterly that cover the most current and controversial issues. Basic instructions for CQ Researcher

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center 1990 - to date (updated daily)
Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center (OVRC) includes the acclaimed social issues series published by Greenhaven Press, as well as core reference content from other Gale and Macmillan Reference USA sources and provides viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.

Finding Books

MadCat
Books on stem cell research can be found in MadCat, the UW-Madison library catalog.

Sample keyword searches:

"embryonic stem cells"
"stem cells"
"stem cell" and research
"stem cell" and ethics
"stem cell" and embryo
"stem cell" and disease
"stem cell" and cellular therapy
biomedical ethics

Internet Sites

AAAS Policy Brief: Stem Cell Research
http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/briefs/stemcells/index.shtml
Center for Science, Technology, and Congress (part of the American Association for the Advancement of Science) compiles objective, scientific information for current legislative topics.

Stem Cell Information
http://stemcells.nih.gov/
The National Institutes of Health provides comprehensive scientific information about stem cells and federal research policies. Many links to stem cell research sites are also included.

CBHD: Stem Cell Research Articles
http://www.cbhd.org/resources/stemcells/index.html
The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity explores current bioethical issues while recognizing biblical values.

Stem-cell Research and the Catholic Church
http://www.americancatholic.org/News/StemCell/default.asp
The Catholic Church's view on stem cell research.

Animation: Stem cells
http://www.dnalc.org/stemcells.html
A short slide show of how stem cells are extracted and cultivated.

Background and Legal Issues Related to Stem Cell Research
http://www.policyalmanac.org/health/archive/crs_stem_cell.shtml
Background and legal issues related to stem cell research from the Almanac of Policy Issues, self-described as an "independent public service not affiliated with any particular issue or cause."

Remarks by the President on Stem Cell Research
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/08/20010809-2.html
Official Whitehouse remarks about stem cell research.

Statistics

Statistical Universe 1973 - to date (updated monthly)
Contains the full text of more than 800 U.S. government statistical publications. Lexis-Nexis Statistical Universe is available to UW-Madison registered users.

Videos

Creation: The Promise of Stem Cells
College Library Main Book Collection: QH 588 S83 C74 2002

Organizations

Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation
http://www.bedfordresearch.org/index.htm
The Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation is a "biomedical institute which exists to conduct stem cell and related research for diseases and conditions which currently have no effective methods of treatment or cure."  It conducts research in its own laboratories and in conjunction with others, and works to raise money for research that often cannot be funded federally due to restrictions on the use of human eggs.

WiCell Research Institute, Inc.
http://www.wicell.org/
WiCell Research Institute is a private non-profit organization with a mission to provide human embryonic stem cells for research purposes to academic scientists all over the world.

Wisconsin Stem Cell Research Program
http://www.stemcells.wisc.edu/
A comprehensive site of research on campus involving stem cells.