Elizabeth Conley / the Detroit News

Sean J. Morrison

Stem cell scientist strives to battle diseases

Sean J. Morrison is dedicated to making science matter.

As director of the University of Michigan Center for Stem Cell Biology, Morrison is in the forefront of recent breakthroughs in adult stem cell research that has spawned excitement and hope for better treatments of diseases in the future.

He's 37 and already been dubbed one of the foremost researchers in his field, which has led to a greater understanding of adult stem cells in many diseases. His discoveries could lead to safer and more effective treatments for people whose lives are touched by cancer, birth defects and other diseases.

"I have two kinds of dreams," Morrison says.

"One kind is we will continue to do important basic science research that changes the way people think about important questions in biomedical research, and we will discover new things that have important impacts. The other dream is we'll discover things that improve the way patients are treated for diseases."

Morrison, who also is an associate professor at U-M's Department of Internal Medicine, is on the path for achieving his dreams as he leads a team of 15 scientists searching for discoveries that will make a difference. Three years ago, he was part of a research team that discovered cancer stem cells in a solid tumor, which could lead to a better explanation as to why some therapies fail.

Since then, he and his team have made stem cell discoveries that have been published in scholarly journals. His most recent breakthrough involved using a drug that targets a less damaging way of destroying cancer cells without the sometimes dangerous side effects that traditional chemotherapy leaves on some patients. This discovery could lead to identifying a whole class of drugs that are safer and more effective.

Colleagues refer to Morrison as a bright star in his field.

"In addition to being an outstanding scientist, Sean is also dedicated to making science benefit society," says Larry Goldstein, a professor at the University of California, San Diego. "He is committed to ensuring that the fruits of research help, as soon as possible, the many people stricken with terrible diseases."

Ben Barres, a Stanford University professor of Neurobiology and Developmental Biology, adds: "I would say he is one of the foremost stem cell researchers in the world. He's also been a very influential and eloquent spokesman on behalf of stem cell research."

When he is not in a laboratory, Morrison is active in public policy issues related to stem cell research, including the controversial study of embryonic stem cell research.

He testifies before state and federal lawmakers on the promise of embryonic stem cell research and tries to debunk many fears that people have about the research. He says the fear is similar to fears once held by people about organ donation and in-vitro fertilization, which are now common medical procedures that give new life.

His hope is lawmakers will become more educated and loosen restrictions, including those in Michigan, which he characterizes as the most draconian in the country.

"One of the important points in the embryonic stem cell debate is the fact most people believe that our humanity is best defined by our capacity to end the suffering of others," Morrison says. "So what people in medical research desperately want to do is discover something new that cures patients or ends their suffering."

Morrison's work has garnered him many accolades, including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2003, Wired Magazine's Rave Award for Science in 2003 and Technology Review magazine's list of 100 innovators in 2002. Morrison earned the prestigious title of investigator from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in 2000. He became one of more than 300 scientists at research institutes around the county chosen because of his potential to make significant contributions to science.

"Sean Morrison is a fantastic scientist," says George Daley, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. "Brilliant, creative, perseverant -- everything you fear in a competitor and treasure in a colleague. He is playing a major role in shaping the future of stem cell biology, both scientifically and politically."

Kim Kozlowski