ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY

Name: Section: S05

Subject: English 12 Instructor:

RESEARCH PROSPECTUS
General Topic: Health and Medicine
Narrowed Topic: Stem Cell Treatment
Framework: I plan to argue in terms of economic perspectives, moral
perspectives and traditional medical perspectives.
Tentative Argumentative Thesis Statement: Even though stem cell is costly,
relatively new and could trigger growth of cancer cells, I still believe that it
should be used as a main treatment.
Focusing Question: Would stem cell be of better benefit as compared to
traditional medicine?
Subordinate Questions: Why would stem cell be more economically
beneficial?
Is a single stem cell treatment a cure all?
Where does stem cell come from?
How is the treatment done?
How long does it take?
Who could conduct the treatments?
How long has stem cell been used as a treatment?
Could stem cell lead to other kinds of diseases?
Background Knowledge: Having undergone many medical treatments in the
past, this has led me to research on stem cell as primary treatment. From
what I have heard and read, stem cell would be a great treatment for most
illnesses. There are multiple ways to get stem cell from creatures; there are
ones from plants, sheep, umbilical cords, and from own cells (which are
genetically modified). This treatment could also prolong life expectancy.
Although this seems like a great treatment, there have been reports on
stem cell fueling the growth of cancer cells. To add to the disadvantages, it is
still not well researched which means that there are still many risks to this
treatment. The long-term effects are still unknown.
Other prior knowledge would be that Europe has been researching
and treating stem cell for many more years as compared to the United States.
And also stem cell research used to be banned in the United States.
Significance of the Topic: Due to many different kinds of illnesses arising and
being more common as compared to many years back, more people should
be more open to different kinds of treatment, specifically stem cell. There are
a number of sicknesses that are not completely curable like SLE, Asthma or
Alzheimers disease; stem cell could be a cure for these kinds of illnesses.
Medical treatments would be easier.
Stem cell is relatively new and still has many people who find this
treatment wrong or that they are completely unsure of this. The topic would
greatly help people who dont know much about the topic understand what
it is and also health benefits and risks of the topic.
Your Aim: I aim to make stem cell research more accepted. The greater the
acceptance for the treatment, there would be more supporters. This would
make research easier as more supporters could mean less opposition and
would possibly have more donors for the research.
Your Audience: The people who I directly aim this research to would be
medical practitioners and patients. The first would be for them opening up to
stem cell treatments and which would result in the treatment being more
accessible and the patients, for them to understand risks of the treatment.
Indirectly would be the general public for them to understand stem cell
therapy and possibly for them to help in the research of this.
Your Persona: I would want them to see me as an ordinary person who has
much interest on the topic. Someone who would want to spread the
information she has learned throughout the research, someone who isnt a
professional nor specializes in this topic.
Your Subject Matter: This would obligate me to discuss the benefits, risks to
stem cell research and treatment. It would make me have to research on
cases of those being treated as existing evidences and also what experts
believe to be the benefits of stem cell as theoretical data.
Annotated Bibliography:
Li, Wen-Hsiung. Molecular Evolution. Sunderland, MA. Sinauner Associate, Inc.,
1997. Print.
The text describes the changes and evolutions in the molecular level. It
also shows the similarities of different species in a molecular level. It also
explains the evolutionary process and the effects of mechanisms on
structure of genes.
Cabibo, Andrea, et al. The Internet for Cell and Molecular Biologists. Second
Edition. Norfolk, UK. Horizon Bioscience, 2004. Print.
This book is a manual with information that is for the use of relevant to
cells and biology. It introduces data about the new biology
bioinformatics, genomics, and proteomics.

Atala, Anthony, et al. Principles of Regenerative Medicine. Second Edition.
San Diego, CA. Academic Press, 2011. Print.
This book talks about the potential of cell regeneration in Medicine, on
how cell regeneration could develop into possible therapies for
untreatable conditions. It discusses advancement of cell regeneration
in medicine.
Ord, Margery G., and Stocken, Lloyd A. Cell and Tissue Regeneration: A
Biochemical approach. Canada. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1984. Print.
The book studies normal and abnormal cell growth in animals. It
examines the biochemistry in cell regeneration of animals. It attempts
to understand the relation of cell regeneration to injuries and illnesses
of animals.
Sipp, Douglas. Stem Cell Stratagems in Alternative Medicine. Future Medicine
(2011). Web. July 13, 2013.
Stem cell has been adopted and widespread by unproven medicine.
It could use animal cells to regenerate human cells. But it is not only for
medical use but has now also become of cosmetic uses. It appeals to
alternate medical practitioners as natural.
Anderson, John W. et al. Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide. Second
Edition. USA. Celestial Arts, 2002.
It explains more medical treatment that arent well proven. Alternate
medicine and how it works. It also shows the controversies surrounding
it and the benefits that are still to be proven.
Peterson, Suzanne., and Loring, Jeanne. Human Stem Cell Manual: A
Laboratory Guide. Second Edition. USA. Academic Press, 2012.
The book tries to spark the interest of Scientists in stem cell research. It
tries to make scientists more open to other areas of stem cell research.
Gruen, Lori., et al. Stem Cell Research: The Ethical Issues. USA. Wiley-Blackwell
Publishing, 2007.
It shows the social and political environment regarding human
embryotic cells. The fast changing researches can bring about fears of
people. The book discusses the ethical issues brought about by stem cell
research.