The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) – a non-profit organization dedicated¹ to advancing cures for major diseases through stem cell research – today applauded（赞同，称赞） the announcement by Stanford University scientists, led by NYSCF – Robertson Investigator² Dr. Marius Wernig, that they directly converted skin cells of humans into functional³ neurons. These neurons will allow researchers to study neural⁴ diseases with the ultimate goal of developing more effective treatments and cures. In a paper published in the online edition of the journal Nature, Dr. Wernig and colleagues reported that they created functional neurons from skin cells by the addition of four proteins. Recent work has shown that with four factors, somatic cells（体细胞） can be reprogrammed into a pluripotent（多能的） state and then differentiated⁵ into various cell types. This newly published work skips the step of creating induced pluripotent stem cells that are often tumorigenic.

"This remarkable⁶ advancement⁷ by an inaugural⁸ member of our NYSCF – Robertson Investigator program makes this an exciting time of rapid progress for stem cell science," said Susan L. Solomon, CEO of The New York Stem Cell Foundation. "It is imperative⁹ that we continue to encourage and support stem cell research in whatever form it takes, including both iPS reprogramming and human embryonic¹⁰ stem cell research. The search for cures is too important to close off any avenue that scientists believe is leading us closer to that goal."

"Dr. Wernig and his colleagues have provided researchers with critical tools we need as we seek to understand how diseases work and how we can prevent their progression," said Dr. Kevin Eggan, Chief Scientific Officer of The New York Stem Cell Foundation.