Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2457 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to fund mouse embryonic stem cell research at the University of Hawaii.

Two individuals testified in support of this measure.

Currently, the University of Hawaii is at the forefront of mouse embryonic stem cell research, having one of only three laboratories in the world proficient in the cloning of mice from somatic cells and having recently been issued a patent for its cloning technique. The stem cell research being conducted by the University may someday lead to the development of regenerative therapies for the treatment of incurable conditions such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

While the University's Institute for Biogenesis Research aspires to be self-supporting through grant funding and has submitted applications for federal grants, the process of achieving self sufficiency is an ongoing and lengthy one. In the meantime, existing funds to support the University's cloning research will be exhausted at the end of this fiscal year. If the University is to maintain its technological edge in the field of biomedical research, continue to attract scholars and scientists from around the world, and make scientific advances that may someday result in medical breakthroughs, it is critical that funding be secured to continue its research programs. Therefore, this measure appropriates funds to the University's Department of Anatomy and Molecular Biology for mouse embryonic stem cell research.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2457 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.