The European Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry

hESCreg

http://www.hescreg.eu

The ESHRE is actively participating in a project financed by the European commission FP6 in the establishment of a European Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry, starting March 2008. Research of human embryonic stem cells in Europe received a major boost after the European Commission has granted a new Specific Support Action to develop a European human embryonic stem cell (hESC) registry. The new registry will be jointly operated by The Stem Cell Bank of the Center of Regenerative Medicine in Barcelona and the CellNet.org office at the Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies in Berlin.

The main objective of the project is to pool all information on registered cell lines that are presently in use in research institutes and that are stored in cell banks throughout the European Union (EU) and worldwide and to establish a comprehensive inventory of all human embryonic stem cell lines available to the scientific community. Alongside specific scientific data such as the origin of the cell lines, the derivation details as well as culture and differentiation protocols, the database will also provide information on the permitted scope of application and the diverse legal situations for hESC research in the EU. In line with the Commission’s intention to publicly register all cell lines, the registry will act as a platform to enhance reproducibility, comparability and transparency in the field. Particular emphasis will be on the support of collaboration and the harmonisation of standards.