Kelsey D Brixey

Professor Russell Thomas

English 1201.525

January 20, 2019

Research Proposal: Stem Cell Research

When picking my research topic, I wasn’t quite sure what I could read and write about

that will keep me interested for a whole semester. Something I know that sparks my interest is

the medical field. It’s a career path that I plan to follow and I would like to know more about it. I

remembered my biology teacher talking about stem cells, and the great significance they carry. I

also have heard the words “stem cells” in some of the medical shows I watch, such as Grey’s

Anatomy, and I wanted to learn more. Upon researching, even just the tip of the iceberg got me

interested. These little cells can be found in anyone, in many parts of the body. They are so

important because these cells have not decided yet whether they are going to be a muscle cell, a

skin cell, a nerve cell, etc. With a certain amount of manipulation, we can ultimately decide what

kind of cell they are going to become. Stem cells have a lot to offer and can definitely be the next

step in medicine.

I feel that stem cell research is an innovative, cutting edge discovery that will transform

the way doctors treat their patients. The fact that stem cells are now an option to help heal and

treat patients, is something that could’ve only been dreamed of years ago. Before researching this

topic I have only heard about it a few times, and I wasn’t quite sure what it was. I had also heard

that it was very controversial in some of the ways stem cells can be obtained. I believe that stem

cells can be the next treatment option for people with cancer, with dying cells, with almost
anything in the body. It is a huge breakthrough in medicine that needs to be continued to be

pushed in society. From the brief research that I have done and what I already know, part of the

reason stem cell research is so controversial is because it can be found in the umbilical cord.

Some people believe it is wrong to take stem cells from the umbilical cord because those cells

should be preserved for the baby. I also know that stem cells are are found in bone marrow,

which explains why sick people need bone marrow transplants: to put more cells in the body that

are able to turn into new, healthy cells.

Throughout this project I hope to find out other reasons to why stem cell research is so

controversial and if it persuades my opinion about it, how exactly a stem cell transplant works,

why someone would need a stem cell transplant, and much more. To find the answers to my

questions, I will be searching the internet as well as databases. I also plan to visit the library to

see if there are any helpful books. Some of the main questions I have for this project is, what

would be the reason for getting a stem cell transplant, and how does this process work?