Blair seeks link with Calif stem cell research

Britain is seeking to promote links between stem cell researchers in Britain and California, two leaders in the field, during a visit to the state this week by British Prime Minister Tony Blair,
In contrast to the United States, where a stem cell research bill provoked President George W. Bush's first veto, Britain has strongly encouraged such research. It set up the world's first stem cell bank in 2004 to store and supply the cells for research that could lead to new treatments for illnesses from Alzheimer's disease to diabetes.
Britain sees California as a strategic partner in the biotechnology industry, officials accompanying Blair say.
"They are interested in working with us in developing the stem cell industry and we're working towards a joint UK-California conference to be held in the U.K. in November," Blair's spokesman said. Blair will meet on Monday with executives from biotechnology firms such as Genentech, Gilead Sciences and Cell Genesys.
California has given a strong boost to stem cell research. In 2004, state voters backed the creation of the California Institute for Regenerative Research, passing a measure giving it the power to raise up to $3 billion in debt to finance stem-cell research.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said recently he wanted the state to be a leader in stem cell research partly because his father-in-law has Alzheimer's disease.
He disagrees with Bush, a fellow Republican, on whether stem cell research should include cells from embryos.
Bush cast his first veto this month to block legislation expanding embryonic stem cell research, putting him at odds with top scientists.
Blair will also tell US investors that Britain is winning the fight against animal rights activists opposed to the use of animals in laboratory testing, his spokesman said. British officials believe that sometimes violent actions by animal rights activists risked deterring investment in Britain's important pharmaceutical industry.
The violence has included intimidation of contractors building Oxford University's new biomedical research center, as well as arson, property damage and threats against companies linked to animal testing.
The British prime minister will have lunch on Sunday with chief executives from California-based technology companies, including Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems.