HPSCRO Policies

U-M HPSCRO Policy

U-M’s Policy on Research with Human Pluripotent Stem Cells outlines the approval requirements, guidelines, and procedures for:

• Donating human embryos for derivation of human pluripotent stem cell (hESC) lines 
• Donating human tissue (i.e., somatic cells, such as skin, blood, etc.) for derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) lines
• Obtaining already derived hESC or iPSC lines
• Using hESC or iPSC lines for allowable research 

U-M’s policy follows State of Michigan and federal policies.

Unallowable Research Uses 

The following use of hESC and/or human iPSC lines are not permitted per U-M HPSCRO policy:

• Derivation of new hESC lines by somatic cell nuclear transfer
• Research involving in vitro culture of any intact human embryo 14 days or older
• Research in which hES  and/or iPS cells are introduced into non-human primate blastocysts, or introduced into human blastocysts
• Research that involves the breeding of animals into which hES cells have been introduced (at any stage of development)
• Research in which iPS cells have been introduced into animals such that the cells could contribute to the animal’s germline.