SROC

In accordance with all Federal Guidelines, the University of Nebraska and Board of Regents policy, the Scientific Research Oversight Committee (SROC) must review and approve all research using hESC lines and ONLY lines from the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry (http://grants.nih.gov/stem_cells/registry/current.htm?sort=rnd) are allowed. Cell lines which are not on this registry are not allowed to be used for NU System research. The NIH Registration Number for a proposed stem cell line must be cited on your application for hESC use when submitting your application to the SROC.

The committee must be composed of scientists who have hESC expertise and at least 2 non-affiliated members, one of which must be a non-scientist.

Human embryonic stem cell research at UNMC: 

Current and prior protocols address a wide range of topics from the very basic mechanisms that regulate stem cell self renewal, which is the primary characteristic that distinguishes stem cells from all other cell types in the body, to potential applications of stem cells in regenerative medicine.

Studies have demonstrated the derivation of human hepatocytes (liver cells) from hES cells, retinal and neuronal (eye and brain) cells and shown that stem cells that are differentiated to fibroblasts of the lung in conditions similar to those in patients with asthma, are much more contractile than normally derived lung fibroblasts. This has prompted a new hypothesis to explain the persistence of asthma even in the face of anti-inflammatory treatments. Additional projects address the education aspects of the properties of hES cells. These results have been published in nationally ranked and recognized medical journals.

All studies must be SROC and IRB approved and employ federally approved hES cell lines that are used according to all federal, state and university regulations.

Chairs and Administrator

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Iqbal Ahmad, PhD

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Committee

In 2008, the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee of the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine published Amendments to the National Academies’ Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research.

Section 2.0 (page 11) describes the establishment of an Institutional ESCRO “To provide oversight of all issues related to derivation and use of hES (human embryonic stem) cell lines and to facilitate education of investigators involved in hES cell research, each institution should have activities involving hES cells overseen by an Embryonic Stem Cell Research Committee (ESCRO).”

“An ESCRO committee should include independent representatives of the lay public as well as persons with expertise in developmental biology, stem cell research, molecular biology, assisted reproduction and ethical and legal issues in hES cell research.” (Since in Nebraska, development of human stem cell lines is not permitted, assisted reproduction input is potentially less relevant than in states that do not have this prohibition.)

“It must have suitable scientific, medical and ethical expertise to conduct its own review and should have the resources needed to coordinate the management of various other reviews required for a particular protocol.” (eg animal use, recombinant DNA, human subject research)

“But the ESCRO committee should not be a subcommittee of the IRB, as its responsibilities extend beyond human subject research.” (For example, in Nebraska, this includes ensuring that all hES cell lines employed are federally approved).

“The ESCRO Committee should

  1. Provide oversight over all issues related to deviation and use of hES cell lines.
  2. Review and approve the scientific merit of research protocols.
  3. Review compliance of all in-house hES cell research with all relevant regulations and these guidelines.
  4. Maintain registries of hES cell research conducted at the institution and hES cell lines derived (not relevant in Nebraska) or imported by institutional investigators.
  5. Facilitate education of investigators involved in hES cell research.”

The UNMC Scientific Research Oversight Committee (SROC) undertakes all of these tasks and reports its actions to the UNMC IRB and the Chancellor.

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