It?s exciting to see stem cell pioneer James Thomson attracting millions of more dollars to Wisconsin for exciting research. Yes, the famed scientist and so many of his talented colleagues in the public and private sectors still call Madison their home ? something we should all be proud of and thankful for. Thomson?s lab just landed a $2.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to help speed the discovery of drugs and improve their safety for humans.
The State Journal reported in April that Madison’s stem cell enterprise may not be as big as those in Boston, San Diego, San Francisco and other big cities on the coasts. Yet Madison likely has more people per capita working in the field ? and a drive to stay on top. Let’s root for this important sector of our economy that’s increasingly important in saving, improving and extending lives.