Two people that inspired me during my research are Arndt Roehlig and Dr. Shimon Slavin. My interviews with both people helped me to form my thesis because they were able to give me their personal insight to the stem cell field. The interview with Arndt Roehlig was very inspiring because he has received stem cell therapy treatments for his Multiple Sclerosis. I was able to gain a new perspective on the process of stem cell treatment, and also have a first hand source as to how the treatment can impact a life. When I learned that 90% of Arndt Roehlig's symptoms had been relieved because of the therapy, it solidified my opinion that stem cell therapies should be available everywhere.
The X Cell Center website also contributed to my research. The X Cell Center is overseas and these treatments are not available in the US. The X Cell Center website had lists of commonly treated diseases (using stem cell therapies), including Alzheimer's. The wide range of conditions that the X Cell Center is able to treat amazed me and made me wonder why isn't this available in the US? I look forward to seeing stem cell therapies being widely practiced in the US, but from my research, it looks like it could still be years. Although that's disappointing, the accomplishments X Cell Center has made opened my eyes to just how many conditions are treatable with stem cells.
A turning point in my research would have to be the first interview I conducted with Arndt Roehlig. By that time I had learned enough about stem cell therapies to be able to ask him about his personal experience, but I also realized there were a lot of holes in my research and more that I needed to learn. As a result, the interview was mediocre. However, it helped me to learn what I needed to know more about and be able to go and find the information. Between the first and second interview with Arndt Roehlig I was able to fill many of the gaps and conduct a much better interview. The responses I received were just what I had been looking for and also helped me form an opinion about human embryonic stem cell usage. Arndt said that he thinks hESCs should be available to those who need them, and as long as they are helping people ethical controversy shouldn't be an issue. A CNN video interview with Dr. Francis Collins also helped me to be more comfortable with the idea of hESCs and helped me form my own opinion. Dr. Francis Collins is a strict Christian, but he believes that hESCs are going to help people, and also clarified that the embryos are donated and would otherwise be destroyed.
The interview I conducted with Dr. Shimon Slavin pushed me in yet another direction and helped me make my final thesis. Dr. Shimon Slavin is very well respected and is a pioneer in stem cell research. I respect his opinion very much, which is why I had to change my thesis once again. A side of hESCs that I had not read about was how even though they can do extraordinary things, they are not yet safe to use in therapies, Dr. Slavin addressed this when I asked him about hESCs. While the change in my thesis is subtle, my opinion of hESCs has changed greatly. This is an example of how the blog was constantly adapting and changing right up to one of the last posts. I'm pleased that I chose to research stem cells (both adult and embryonic) because it opened up a new field that I might pursue as a career. I still enjoy learning about stem cells, and creating this blog was never dull, I will continue to research stem cells outside of this project.
