Various pro-life groups are in an uproar over Gov. Jim Doyle's recently announced stem-cell initiative.

Both Pro-Life Wisconsin and Wisconsin Right to Life are outraged about the executive order that vows to spend $5 million through the state Department of Commerce to promote biotech research in the state.

The governor's ultimate goal is to capture 10 percent of the stem-cell research market by 2015.

"The idea of treating human embryos as research materials is just detestable," said Susan Armacost, legislative director of Wisconsin Right to Life. "That, of course, does not make the slightest impression on Gov. Doyle."

The group, along with Pro-Life Wisconsin, only supports stem-cell research using adult or umbilical cord stem cells. According to Armacost, there is currently no adult stem-cell research going on in Wisconsin.

However, the Wisconsin Stem Cell Research Program website states that UW faculty are, in fact, conducting scientific work on adult stem cells. According to the website, there are more than 30 faculty members dedicated to embryonic and adult stem cell research.

Armacost also argued that research using adult or umbilical cord stem cells has been responsible for treating over 65 diseases, while embryonic stem cells cannot be used in such research because "the cells cannot be controlled and can create tumors."

"If Gov. Doyle and Wisconsin scientists are really serious about curing disease and strengthening our economy, they need to stop bamboozling the public and focus on research that actually works," Armacost said.

However, University of Wisconsin professor of chemical and biological engineering Sean Palecek said that while it may be accurate to say that an undifferentiated embryonic stem cell implanted in the human body could form an uncontrolled growth of cells, undifferentiated stem cells would not be used for treatment in humans.

Differentiated embryonic stem cells refer to cells that have been committed to being one particular type of cell in the body.

"I would disagree with someone that claimed that differentiated stem cells would turn into tumors — differentiated [cells] would not," Palecek said.

He added many researchers in his field believe there is tremendous potential in embryonic stem-cell research — as much or more as with adult stem cells — because embryonic stem cells have the potential to form many more types of tissues.

And Doyle also stands by his decision.

"No respected expert denies the great promise and potential that stem-cell research holds," Doyle spokesperson Matt Canter said.

Canter also cited the $7 billion that biotechnology firms contribute to the economy and the 22,000 jobs these firms have created as reasons to support Doyle's initiative.

"People all across Wisconsin are supportive of the potential to find cures to debilitating and terminal diseases and the prospect of bringing cutting edge jobs to the state," Canter added.

In particular, pro-life groups are interested in expanding the usage of umbilical cord stem cells in research.

"Gov. Doyle knows very well that our tax dollars should be used towards adult stem-cell research — he proved that he knows better when he signed the cord blood donation bill," said Pro-Life Wisconsin State Director Peggy Hamill.

Doyle signed the bill, which helps facilitate the public donation of newborn umbilical cord blood, in December.

Wisconsin does not currently have an umbilical cord blood donation bank, which is something that WRTL will "really be pounding the pavement on next [legislative session]," according to Armacost.

Pro-life groups are also concerned that Doyle may be leading patients on with false hopes of cures from stem-cell research, Armacost added.

"They have been engaging in hype regarding the so-called 'great-promise' of stem-cell research when there hasn't been any cures resulting from embryonic stem cells," Armacost said.

Armacost additionally claimed UW researchers have downplayed the benefits of umbilical cord and adult stem cell research.

"Researchers at the UW are ignoring the promises of adult stem cell research, and they can't point to one single success — shame on them," she said.

Hamill added that society would never accept the killing of human beings in order to find solutions to medical problems.