There is a great article on the background for generating hES cells and future directions that Geron will take. Why because there is a ban on it. A perfect example of how you cannot stop scientific research that has so much potential. Dr Anthony Fauci reports a possible cure for AIDS . Patients on this therapy have undetectable levels of virus in their CD4 - receptor cells, but other organ systems to be tested for HIV before scientists are willing to suggest this is cure.
Many pathogenic bacteria detect whether they are in a host by testing the availability of iron.
For a long time scientist wonder how this was done. Dagmar Ringe et al. have discovered that the DtxR repressor protein regulates pathogenic genes and senses the amount of iron in the environment. It should now be possible to develop drugs against the repressor that will stop bacterial virulence. Becoming resistant to these drugs will be very difficult, since the bacteria aren't actually killed by it, just prevented from being pathogenic. I am seeing more news about gene therapy.