Human Stem Cell Research

1. The Human Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee (hSCRO) assures human stem cell activities are:
   1. In accord with National Academies and California DHS guidelines and ethical guidelines (e.g., Belmont Report, Declaration of Helsinki), and
   2. In compliance with California statute and California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) regulations and applicable campus policies and procedures for human stem cell activities.
2. hSCRO considers the ethical and social issues presented by human stem cell activities.
3. hSCRO reviews the scientific/scholarly merit of human stem cell activities to assure procedures are consistent with sound research design, the study design can be reasonably expected to answer the proposed questions(s), and the importance of the knowledge expected to result is known.
4. hSCRO assures that the provenance (origin) of gametes, blastocysts, fetal tissue and the derivation of human stem cells are documented. Documentation should sufficiently establish that procurement of the cell lines complies with standard clinical care consenting procedures and/or human stem cell and research regulations, as applicable.
5. hSCRO assures documentation of compliance with any required regulatory reviews (e.g., IRB, IACUC and IBC).
6. hSCRO approves, requires modifications in, or disapproves protocols involving human gametes, embryos and human stem cell activities, subject to the overriding responsibilities of the IRB and IACUC.
7. hSCRO approves, requires modifications in, or disapproves protocols involving the use of human pluripotent stem cells or the intent to generate subject to the overriding responsibilities of the IRB.

For more information about the hSCRO committee, please see the hSRCO Program Policy & Standard Operating Procedures.