Introduction

The human embryo and embryonic stem cell research oversight (ESCRO) committee is a university regulatory committee. ESCRO is responsible for reviewing and approving the scientific merit and the ethical justification of proposals that involve the use of: 1. human embryos less than 14 days in gestational development, 2. human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines, and 3. human induced pluripotent (iPS), or other human pluripotent stem cells, that are intended to make or contribute to an embryo. Approval by the ESCRO committee is required prior to initiation of any research at the University of Minnesota that falls under these categories.

Some research which falls under the purview of the ESCRO committee is ineligible for National Institutes of Health (NIH) and State of Minnesota funding (see NIH ineligible research). Research with federally unapproved embryonic stem cell lines and/or research involving more than minimal risk to human embryos which cannot be supported directly or indirectly, with federal funds or funds from the State of Minnesota. Investigators that do research that is ineligible for NIH funding must perform specific accounting training through the Sponsored Projects Administration.

Links

• University of Minnesota Policy on Conducting Research with Human Embryos or Embryonic Stem Cells
• National Institutes of Health Guidelines on Human Stem Cell Research
• National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research
• Sponsored Projects Administration