Research

Institutional Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee

It is the policy of the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) that some types of research involving human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) being conducted by JHU faculty, staff or students or involving the use of JHU facilities or resources shall be subject to oversight by the JHU Institutional Stem Cell Research Oversight (ISCRO) Committee.

Overview of the revised ISSCR guidelines, updates to the JHU ISCRO policy, website, and new required training for conducting certain types of stem cell research.

View ISCRO Updates

Covered Research Includes:

• All research using human embryonic stem cells (“hESCs”);
• All research using somatic cell nuclear transfer (“SCNT”) involving human cells;
• Other hPSCs (e.g., human induced pluripotent stem cells [“iPSCs”] and human embryonic germ cells [“hEGCs”]) where the research involves:

1. Introduction of such cells into humans;
2. Introduction of such cells into the central nervous system of non-human primates;
3. Introduction of such cells into non-human animals and there is a reasonable possibility of the cells giving rise to gametes;
4. Derivation of gametes or embryos from such cells;
5. Formation of embryo models derived from such cells; or
6. In vitro culture of chimeric embryos (hPSCs introduced into non-human embryos).

Prohibited Research Includes*:

In accordance with prevailing ethical and policy guidance and applicable law and regulation, the following categories of research are currently prohibited at JHU:

• Research involving the introduction of hPSCs into human blastocysts;
• Research involving the introduction of hPSCs into non-human primate blastocysts;
• In general, research involving in vitro culture of any intact human embryo for longer than 14 days or until formation of the primitive streak begins, whichever occurs first;
• Breeding of animals that have or might have had hPSCs introduced into the germ line;
• Using gametes differentiated from human stem cells for in vivo reproduction;
• Gestating human stem cell-based embryo models in the uterus of a human or nonhuman animal;
• Gestating human-animal chimeric embryo(s) in the uterus of a human or non-human primate;
• Transferring embryos following Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy (MRT) into a human uterus; and
• Human reproductive cloning.

*This list may be revised from time to time to reflect changes in prevailing ethical and policy guidance and applicable law and regulation.