(Photo: Malevda, Flickr)

(Photo: Malevda, Flickr)

University of Minnesota researchers are reporting a major advance in the field of embryonic stem cell research that undercuts the anti-abortion movement’s — and Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s — chief argument against state funding for the research.

The researchers used human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to create immune cells to fight cancer and found a 100-percent success rate at eliminating cancerous tumors in 13 trials. The researchers also used human umbilical cord blood cells, the type of cells anti-abortion activists say are equal to hESCs, and only five trials of 13 saw the successful elimination of cancerous tumors.

“This is the first demonstration of anti-cancer activity in a living organism by cells derived from human embryonic stem cells,” said study leader Dan Kaufman, an associate professor of medicine and associate director of the University’s Stem Cell Institute, in a statement. “The superior performance by cells with an hESC lineage points to a crucial role for hESCs in developing new cell-based cancer therapies.”

The Minnesota Legislature passed a bill in 2008 that would have allowed state funding to be used for embryonic stem cells research,but it was met with Pawlenty’s veto pen. He did so at the behest of anti-abortion group Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life.

“The biotech industry wants you to pay for its ruinous research,” says MCCL’s anti-embryonic stem cell pamphlets, “but not even a lab mouse has ever benefited from embryonic stem cell research.”

All thirteen of the successful University of Minnesota trials eliminated cancerous tumors in lab mice.

Because of Pawlenty’s veto last year, legislators have taken a different approach to getting state support for hESC research. Instead of a bill to allow state funding for the research, Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, has put forward a bill that requires fertility clinics to inform patients about the options for discarded embryos — including stem cell research.

But Republican House members want to eliminate research on viable embryos. Their bill, the Minnesota Hope Act, would limit research in Minnesota to “naturally dead” embryos. Reps. Matt Dean of Dellwood, Laura Brod of New Prague, Steve Gottwalt of St. Cloud, Joe Ward (DFL) of Brainerd, Tom Emmer of Delano, Tara Mack of Apple Valley, Jim Abeler of Anoka and Mary Ellen Otremba (DFL) of Long Prairie.

Neither bill passed out of committee this session.