Harvard Plans to Open Stem Cell Institute

Harvard University plans to launch a multimillion-dollar center to grow and study human embryonic stem cells, the school announced.

The center could be the largest privately funded American stem cell research project to date. It must use private funds to create new lines of stem cells because President Bush, citing ethical considerations, has limited federal funding for embryonic stem cell research to existing lines of cells.

Harvard released a statement confirming its plans, saying the school is “proceeding in the direction of establishing a stem cell institute.” The final details were not complete, the statement said.