A big Monday morning announcement is sure to set off a wave of celebration in labs across the US: President Barack Obama today signed an executive order overturning the restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research that had been put into place during the Bush Administration. Obama has reportedly asked the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to draft new guidelines for stem cell research with the next four months.

But as scientists race to figure out how to take advantage of the new opportunities, they will also have to bear in mind that obstacles lie ahead. Specifically, experts worry that the Dickey-Wicker Amendment will be used to create a barrier to embryonic stem cell research. What do you see as the impact of today’s announcement?

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