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As director of Stanford’s Center for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Education, Renee A. Reijo Pera, 49, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, works at ground zero of the controversy over human embryonic stem cells. She uses human embryos to create new cells that will eventually be coaxed into becoming eggs and sperm. In other research, she has also identified one of the first genes associated with human infertility. The questions and answers below are edited from a two-hour conversation and a subsequent telephone interview.

->"Q. WHEN GEORGE BUSH ISSUED HIS AUGUST 2001 PROHIBITION AGAINST FEDERAL FINANCING OF NEW STEM CELL RESEARCH, WHAT DID YOU THINK?

A. First, I was stunned that a president was talking about biological science at all! After I caught my breath on that, I was grateful he didn’t order an outright ban on all research in this area.

As you may recall, his order banned federal funding for new stem cell lines, but permitted work on older colonies of stem cells, derived by embryos — “lines” — already in existence. Of those he permitted, there were supposed to be something like 60 or 70 lines, though reports are there are actually only about 20 lines one can work on. I believe there are really only 11 that grow well."