Programs

Disease Programs

The HSCI is currently focused on basic research and clinical translation in five principal disease areas: cancer , diabetes, nervous system diseases (such as ALS and Parkinson's), blood diseases, and cardiovascular disease. These diseases are among the early priorities for HSCI, but our mission is broader and encompasses basic research on all aspects of stem cell biology, with special emphasis on areas where there is a potential opportunity to improve human health. In the United States alone it has been estimated that as many as 100 million people suffer from diseases that could be amenable to stem cell-based therapies. We want to take advantage of these opportunities to the fullest extent possible. Accordingly, faculty working groups have been established in disease areas in addition to those listed above, including muscle, kidney, skin, the reproductive system, liver and gastrointestinal tract, and tissue engineering.

Program in Ethics and Public Policy

The goal of the Program in Ethics and Public Policy is to foster interdisciplinary education and public discussion of the ethical and policy implications of the advancing field of stem cell research. The program is designed to reach all of Harvard University's constituencies, from students, to faculty, alumni, and the general public. To accomplish this, the program has developed seminars, lectures, and special dedicated programs that have brought together scientists and humanists; engaged alumni groups and the general public in lively exchanges of ideas with scientists and ethicists; and contributed an overview of ethical issues for science journalists as part of a week-long session co-sponsored with MIT.

To read more about the Program in Ethics and Public Policy's activities, click here.

HSCI Programs