Vatican Finances Research on Adult Stem Cells

The Vatican announced today that it would donate $2.7-million to support research into how adult stem cells may be used to treat intestinal and other diseases, the Associated Press reports. The project, which is in the very early stages, is led by the University of Maryland’s medical school. Church officials are opposed to the use of embryonic stell cells in research because it requires the destruction of embryos. Researchers will study whether adult intestinal stem cells can prove useful in the fight against various diseases.