Interview: Kyoto's stem cell pioneer

Last month, Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University showed he could transform adult skin cells into cells akin to human embryonic stem cells. The method, which involves inserting genetic material that makes the cells' development run backwards, opens the door to stem cells specific to patients, which could be used to repair damaged organs or fight diseases such as Parkinson's and diabetes - crucially, all without the need to destroy human embryos. Linda Geddes visited Yamanaka in Kyoto and found him excited at his breakthrough but concerned over its ethical implications

How did you feel when you realised you had made human embryonic-like cells from skin cells?
We were very surprised. We had started working on this more than a year ago, when we tried inserting four transcription factors, which regulate genes, into the skin cells. It didn't work at all. We did get some cells but they turned ...

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19626341.700-interview-kyotos-stem-cell-pioneer.html