Research Library

This article, published in the online journal PLoS ONE, examines the impact of collaboration on publication significance in the United States and the United Kingdom, world leaders in stem cell research with disparate policies. The findings suggest that national stem cell policy differences and regulatory mechanisms driving international stem cell research in both countries did not affect the frequency of international collaborations, or even the countries with which the U.S. and U.K. most often collaborated.

As the scientific community globalizes, it is increasingly important to understand the effects of international collaboration on the quality and quantity of research produced. While it is generally assumed that international collaboration enhances the quality of research, this phenomenon is not well examined. Stem cell research is unique in that it is both politically charged and a research area that often generates international collaborations, making it an ideal case through which to examine international collaborations.

The 2010 Census data indicates that more than one-third of the Houston metropolitan region is Hispanic; however, the creation of a second Hispanic-majority district is unlikely. Political science fellow Mark P. Jones offers four reasons why redistricting will not yield a new Hispanic-majority district.

Read more about the study "Stem Cells and Biomedical Research in Texas" and download the report on the Baker Institute website.

An overview of stem cell research and the policies, particularly in the state of Texas, that regulate these studies.

On Jan. 11 the Texas House of Representatives will elect a new Texas House speaker. Political science fellow Mark Jones compares prospective candidates along an ideological liberal-conservative spectrum.

In this article, the authors compare two different approaches to establishing stem cell policy: a defined policy (U.K.) and a changing policy (U.S.). The U.K. has a clear and precise policy, agreed upon and supported by lawmakers, scientists and the public. By contrast, U.S. federal policy is continuously being updated based on balancing political ideologies and advances in science, and it only regulates federal funding. By investigating these contrasting policy approaches, the authors hope to demonstrate the impact of policy on stem cell research and public opinion.

This blog post examines how the Republican wave that swept Texas in November has altered the composition of the Democratic electoral base.