Last week we studied about stem cell according to Dr. Hwong and Harvard teams' research. We discussed about these two teams' differences and our opinion.  The dictionary said a stem cell is a type of cell that can produce other cells which are able to develop into any kind of cell in the body. This cell is known for a key to solve uncured diseases, so it is getting popular nowadays. There are two famous teams that studied stem cell one is a Harvard team and the other is a Korean Hwong's team.

An embryo stem cell which Hwong??s team studied is called as a multi useable cell because it can develop all kind of human being's organs; heart, blood, etc. In fact, an embryo stem cell could make immune rejection problems when we forcefully inject cells to patients. Therefore, Mr. Hwong combined patients' own somatic cell and women's egg to get a compatible embryo stem cell. Finally, it works without any immune rejection problems. That??s why it has brought national wide attention. Even though he solved rejection problems, it has brought ethical problem due to the women's egg because each woman's egg means human being. However, there is a remarkable result from Harvard team's research. They studied about a hybrid cell. It combined an embryo stem cell and adult's skin cell to get a new embryo stem cell. If this research makes progress, we could have a compatible embryo stem cell without using women's eggs. Also it means it could reduce ethical problems. But there is one big problem; even if it makes us free from ethical problems, an adult skin cell already has a human's genetic pattern. So, it will not be one hundred percent perfectly compatible to every patient. So, we have found out that there are two differences between each team??s research.  Hwong??s team can't solve the ethical problem, but they solved the perfect compatibility problem. On the other hand, Harvard team can't solve this compatibility problem hundred percent, but they solved ethical problem.

Here is our group's conclusion about these two teams' research according to an ethical view. The main points of today??s subject are the ethical problem and immune rejection problem. The best way is for the Harvard team to make remarkable progress. But if not, there is one question to ask ourselves. Do you think an embryo stem cell is a human being who has a living right or is it just a cell in a beaker? To solve this question, we have to make a standard for the time life begins. In our group's discussion, we have decided that a fertilized cell is a human being, so Hwong??s research is ethically alright, because he is using non-fertilized cells. According to this conclusion, we think, so far, that Hwong??s research is useful and better than Harvard team??s. However, we can't ignore other nation's ideas and criticism from religions. We hope that both Hwong and Harvard team take a step forward continually. Finally, we will be able to reach a better and helpful result without ethical criticism.