title: From bench to bedside? Biomedical scientists' expectations of stem cell science as a future therapy for diabetes.
abstract: The movement of scientific research from the bench to the bedside is becoming an increasingly important aspect of modern 'biomedical societies'. There is, however, currently a dearth of social science research on the interaction between the laboratory and the clinic. The recent upsurge in global funding for stem cell research is largely premised on the promise of translating scientific understanding of stem cells into regenerative medicine. In this paper, we report on the views of biomedical scientists based in the United Kingdom who are involved in human embryonic stem cell research in the field of diabetes. We explore their views on the prospects and problems of translational research in the field of stem cell science. We discuss two main themes: institutional influences on interactions between scientists and clinicians, and stem cell science itself as the major barrier to therapies. We frame our discussion within the emerging literature of the sociology of expectations.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, London, UK. steven.wainwright@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Wainwright
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.forename: Bobbie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Farsides
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cribb
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D035843:Biomedical Research; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy*; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007325:Institutional Practice; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D035845:Research Embryo Creation; D012962:Sociology, Medical; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation