LINCOLN — Jim McClurg, a businessman and scientist who spent his career in the pharmaceutical industry, is the likely swing vote today as the University of Nebraska Board of Regents considers a resolution to restrict human embryonic stem cell research.
McClurg, 64, of Lincoln had the endorsement of Nebraska Right to Life when he was elected to the board in 2006. A Republican, he used the organization’s mailing list in his successful campaign, said Julie Schmit-Albin, the group’s executive director.
Schmit-Albin and Chip Maxwell, executive director of the Nebraska Coalition for Ethical Research, have expressed surprise that McClurg did not join four other regents in sponsoring the resolution. They say they do not know how McClurg will vote.
McClurg said this week that he would not make a decision before hearing today from all sides.
McClurg and his wife, Lori, are longtime friends of Republican Sen. Mike Johanns and his wife, Stephanie. The couples have vacationed together, and Lori McClurg served as director of the Department of Administrative Services when Johanns was governor.
Johanns appointed Jim McClurg to the NU Board of Regents in 2002 to fill a vacancy. Lori McClurg has worked for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln since 2006, serving as operations director for the Jeffrey Raikes School of Computer Science and Management.
Jim McClurg holds a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where stem cell research is conducted.
He worked more than 30 years at Lincoln’s Harris Laboratories, which later became MDS Pharma Services, a nationwide biotechnology company that develops pharmaceutical drugs.
He was life sciences president and chief executive officer of Harris Laboratories from 1984 to 2000, and he served as senior vice president and chief scientific officer after the company became part of MDS Pharma Services.
Harris Labs founder Lewis E. Harris suffered from Parkinson’s disease when he died at age 93 in 2004. Parkinson’s is one of the illnesses targeted by supporters of embryonic stem cell research.
Since retiring last year, McClurg has been president of Technical Development Resources Co., a drug industry consulting and investment firm.
Maxwell said that as recently as March, McClurg told his group that he did not favor expanding embryonic stem cell research at the university.
Asked this week if he had changed his stance since then, McClurg repeated that he wanted to hear from all interested parties before deciding how he would vote.
Contact the writer:
402-473-9581, leslie.reed@owh.com
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