Red Flag: The Chinese iPS research

For the world and the Chinese they’re certainly welcoming the good news about Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cell research but not for the US.

Very recently according the most respected scientific journal, Nature reported that two unknown Chinese researchersQi Zhou and Fanyi Zeng had created live mice from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, answering a lingering question about the developmental potential of the cells. Further more, the third generations of hybrid-mice are living well and longer!

To my surprise, this iPS breakthrough was not done by the famous and pioneer researchers of Japan’s Shinya Yamanaka or US Wisconsin Team’s James A. Thomson and Junying YU.

My only educated guess is that the loss –eight- year of –Bush- era that contributes a lot of this scientific fall back.  Less money put in research and scientific illiteracy of Bush’s administration that drag our feet. Other unsubstantiated theory is that  X country’s spy net is “sniffing” our Lab.

The “red flag” warns us that the global economics brings us closer in par standard of science ever before. If some developing countries like China, India or Brazil especially China willing to put money in research, the sky is no limit to them. The US if not take care and invest more in science or not offer US trained foreign scientists more flexibility residence status e.g., Green Card. Our scientific might may lost in 10 or 20 years.