Definition

1. Noun:
   • Biological research on stem cells derived from embryos and on their use in medicine: "Embryonic stem-cell research" refers to the scientific study of stem cells that are obtained from early-stage embryos (blastocysts). This field of research investigates the fundamental properties of these cells and explores their potential applications in medical treatments and regenerative medicine.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The university received a large grant to advance its embryonic stem-cell research.
  • Ethical debates often surround the topic of embryonic stem-cell research.
  • Many scientists believe embryonic stem-cell research holds the key to curing degenerative diseases.

Advanced Usage

• "to conduct/perform embryonic stem-cell research": to carry out this specific type of scientific investigation.
  • The lab is authorized to conduct embryonic stem-cell research under strict guidelines.
• "a ban on/funding for embryonic stem-cell research": refers to legal restrictions or financial support for this field.
  • The new policy lifted the federal funding ban on certain types of embryonic stem-cell research.

Variants and Related Words

• Stem cell research (n): The broader field of scientific study involving all types of stem cells (e.g., adult stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells).
  • Stem cell research is a rapidly evolving area of biomedicine.
• Embryonic stem cell (n): The specific type of pluripotent stem cell derived from an embryo that is the subject of this research.
  • An embryonic stem cell has the potential to develop into any cell type in the body.

Synonyms

• Embryo research (in a specific, related context): Research involving embryos, though this term is broader and not exclusively focused on stem cells.
• Pluripotent stem cell research: Research on cells with the ability to become many cell types, which includes embryonic stem cells.

Related Phrases

• Therapeutic cloning: A related technique sometimes used in conjunction with embryonic stem-cell research to create patient-specific stem cells.
• Regenerative medicine: A medical field that aims to repair or replace damaged tissues and organs, for which embryonic stem-cell research is a foundational science.

Related Idioms

Note: As a specific, technical scientific term, "embryonic stem-cell research" is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions. Public discourse on the topic may involve figurative language. - "A political football": An issue that is debated primarily for political advantage rather than on its merits. This idiom is sometimes used to describe the contentious status of embryonic stem-cell research in policy debates. - For years, funding for embryonic stem-cell research was treated as a political football.

Noun

1. biological research on stem cells derived from embryos and on their use in medicine