Tomorrow sees the start of a three-day meeting in the Eternal City that concerns one of the most promising and controversial scientific research areas of our time: stem cells. Embryonic stem cells have the ability to transform into any cell and tissue type in the body, and thus have the potential to treat hundreds of debilitating diseases and conditions.
With the Vatican City in Rome playing host to the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations' and the Pontifical Academy for Life's International Congress on stem cells, Pope Benedict XVI himself plans to receive participants on the last day of the meeting.
Although he is not speaking at the conference, one man's recent research will be inescapable. Be it over espresso or Frascati, the name of Bob Lanza will be heard, and his personality and recent controversy surrounding him will be the subject of gossip, discussion and argument.