More than 2,600 patients applied to participate in research by a global stem cell center on its first day of accepting applications yesterday, pinning their hopes on cloning technology to overcome their hard-to-treat diseases.
The World Stem Cell Hub, led by South Korean cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-suk, aims to help those suffering from ailments such as Parkinson's disease or damaged spinal cords and who are willing to offer their skin tissue for research.
Officials have said it doesn't mean the beginning of clinical tests or treatment, yet applications still surged yesterday -- overloading the center's Web site with requests for information. The center has not set a deadline for applications or decided when trials will begin.
As of 3pm, about 2,600-2,700 applications had been received via the Internet, telephone, fax and in person, said Lim Jong-pil, an official at the research center at Seoul National University Hospital. The numbers were still rising.
"I'm pinning all hopes on this," said Lee Kil-no, 52, sitting in his wheelchair at the registration center where dozens of other patients were filling out forms. Lee said he was paralyzed from the chest down after falling five-stories at a construction site.
"I believe my condition will improve if I get this treatment. I wish I could walk again," he said.
One researcher said it would be a while before patients start to benefit from the new technology.
"We're now receiving applications only. This doesn't mean treatment will begin immediately," said Kang Sung-keun, a professor at Seoul National University's veterinary college.
Kang declined to predict how long it would be before the new technology becomes available for general patients.
But Yim Jung-gi, vice president of the hospital, reportedly said earlier this month it would take five to 10 years.
The stem cell bank opened Oct. 19 with the aim of serving as the main center for providing scientists around the world with embryonic stem cells, seen as a potential source of replacement tissue for people with a variety of ailments.
The bank -- which will have its first branches in Britain and the US -- is expected to give other scientists room to get around government restrictions on research into embryonic stem cells.
Many scientists are hoping to accelerate research on embryonic stem cells -- master cells that can grow into all the other tissues in the body.
However, culling stem cells often involves destroying the days-old embryos harboring them, and the administration of US President George W. Bush bans federal funding for research on all but a handful of old embryonic stem-cell lines.
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