It takes about four weeks for a skin cell to be "primed" for reprogramming, and then it takes an additional three to four weeks for iPS colonies to grow, according to Dr. Joseph Wu, study co-author and assistant professor of cardiology and radiology at Stanford's School of Medicine.

CNN: Study: Human fat yields multipurpose stem cells

In the 10 years since SARS, the public hospital system has seen an exodus of many of its most talented workers, said Dr. Wu, because many have been lured away by higher-paying private sector jobs.

WSJ: Hong Kong Steps Up Bird-Flu Measures