World Map of hESC Derivation

Within the European Commission's Directorate General (DG) of Research more than 100 projects - with at least one component or one partner using stem cells - have been funded as part of the 6th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP6). 75% of these come from the Health Directorate, 15% from the Industrial Technologies Directorate and 10% from the Science & Society Directorate. All in all these projects received EC contributions of around 500 million euros.

Out of these, 18 projects involving Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC) have been evaluated, selected, negociated and approved according to the "Procedural modalities for research activities involving banked or isolated human embryonic stem cells in culture to be funded under Council decision 2002/834/EC" (COM C(2003) 2952). All these projects have been supported by the Health Directorate. Some additional FP6 projects may decide to use hESCs before the end of their contracts.