Stem cell biologists in the US have been waiting for a long time to be able to use the more Pluripotent embryonic stem cells that were banned by the Bush administration. Reversal of the ban is an action scientists hope will lead to cures for deadly ailments like diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.

“What happened today is huge,” says Kevin Wilson, director of public policy at the American Society for Cell Biology. “We’ve gone from having a small number of cell lines eligible for federal funding to having at least a few hundred.”