Darkfrog submitted, created time 1 year 8 months (www.popsci.com)

As of this past March, thirty different research institutions have joined to become the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM). With $250-million in funding, they plan to expand ideas like the "pixie dust" limb regrowth method that was mentioned on DiscoveR8 a few months back. Most interestingly, there are plans for a handheld spritzer that would spray keratinocytes directly onto burns and wounds. I followed the links to this one. A few blogs wrote articles based on this one, but focusing on just the burn sprayer, which they've nicknamed the "stem cell gun." I don't think they quite understand that keratinocytes aren't stem cells, let alone embryonic stem cells.

Keywords: AFIRM amputees military funding stem cells stem cell research transplants organ regrowth regenerative medicine