R. Alta Charo and Pilar N. Ossorio, two University of Wisconsin Law School professors who are nationally prominent in the field of bioethics, have been appointed to the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee, a new national committee to monitor and revise voluntary guidelines on the conduct of human embryonic stem cell research.

Charo will also serve as co-chair of the committee.

The committee was appointed by the National Academies’ National Research Council and Institute of Medicine to provide updates to the voluntary guidelines issued last year by the Academies.

The committee's work will be supported by The Ellison Medical Foundation, The Greenwall Foundation, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. There is a 20-day public comment period on the makeup of the committee, which will remain provisional until it is fully vetted.

Reports written by the committee will undergo external peer review prior to public release.

The National Research Council and Institute of Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide science, technology, and health policy advice under a congressional charter.

Submitted by on August 10, 2006

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