NIH freezes stem cell grants

NIH Director Francis Collins said Tuesday the agency stopped planned reviews for new grants for research involving human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) following a preliminary injunction issued by a district court judge on Monday prohibiting use of federal funds for such research. Collins said that about a dozen grants totaling $15-$20 million that had already gone through peer review and 50 new grant requests would no longer be considered for funding. An additional 22 grants totaling about $54 million will no longer receive funding when they come up for renewal in September. ...