The Florida Legislative session begins next month. One bill lawmakers will debate would create a stem cell research institute at Florida Gulf University.

The bill, filed by Senate Democrat Dave Aronberg, would establish the FGCU Institute for Stem Biology. Research would focus on adult stem cells, skirting religious and ethical issues associated with embryonic stem cells. FGCU’s director of Biotechnology, Dr. Randall Alberte, says the school has state of the art research facilities and faculty that can lead the way in establishing a niche in this emerging field.

“It turns out that when you harvest adult stem cells, they’re from cord blood cells or bone marrow, less than 10 percent is stem cells and some of the opportunity to select and harvest that community is an opportunity that is not been achieved today and we believe we can exploit some new and emerging molecular recognition tools that will allow you to grab those cells out of a mixed population and identify them.”

Alberte says FGCU would also partner with other institutions both in the private and public sectors. Senator Aronberg’s bill earmarks 32 million dollars for the stem cell research institute. It has bi-partisan support. Its House sponsor is Republican Representative Paige Kreegal of Punta Gorda who is also a medical doctor.