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Plantiffs reject Univ. of California involvement in stem cell lawsuit

Plantiffs reject Univ. of California involvement in stem cell lawsuit

Both the National Institutes of Health and the plaintiffs, James L. Sherley and Theresa A. Deisher, told a court yesterday that they opposed the University of California’s request to join the stem cell lawsuit.

The next big development in the case will come Monday when the Circuit Court of Appeals hears oral argument. The sides will argue whether the court should continue to suspend the ban on federally funded human embryonic stem cell research. The court is expected to rule next week.

The government encouraged the university to file a friend-of-the-court, or amicus curiae, brief, instead of trying to join the case as a formal party.

The university said in a statement that it was “pleased” the government urged the court to “fully consider” the university’s amicus submissions.

John A. Hawkinson