MADISON, Wis. -- The future of stem cell research in Madison as well as the rest of the nation could hinge on the presidential election.

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That's the message from the 2008 World Stem Cell Summit being held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.

In the world of high-stakes science, all eyes are on the Nov. 4 presidential election.

Not only could it drastically expand federal policy on human embryonic stem cell research it could mean millions more to fund it.

"We have an expectation there will be a lifting of restrictions and that there will be increased funding for human embryonic stem cell research despite that we have concerns," said founder of the Genetics Policy Bernard Siegel.

The recognized pioneer of stem cell research Jamie Thomson of UW Madison told the first-day conference crowd that the breakthroughs are encouraging but much more work on various planes needs to happen.

"We need to roll up our sleeves and do a great deal of work here and it's not going to happen overnight," said Thomson.

Even as the father of stem cell research issued a word of caution that any effective therapies are perhaps around ten years off,

There is a lot of nervous excitement at the World Stem Cell Summit about the potential of all stem cell research -- and the politics that could accelerate it.

Nina Brown, a Parkinson's disease patient for 24 years, is with the Alliance for Medical Research.

She spent the day buzzing around the world summit in her scooter, networking with folks.

Brown runs a Houston, Texas group promoting all types of stem cell research---and especially research on human embryos.

There are hundreds of lines of such stem cells but right now federal policy allows research on only 21 of them. Stem cell activists and scientists hope the election will change that and open up all kinds of discoveries.

Brown said, "The one that holds the most promise is embryonic stem cell research. And they cannot negate and obviate the need for embryonic stem cell research."

Inside the convention hall, main speakers spoke directly about the huge impact of the upcoming election.

Next to a huge screen of President Bush and a clock ticking to when he leaves office, Amy Comstock Rick, of the Coalition for Advancement of Medical Research, told the crowd,

"Change is not always good, change has to be directed the way you want it, but change is in fact coming."

She and other Summit speakers are all but celebrating the end of Pres. Bush -- and his federal policy limiting human embryonic stem research.

But they wonder what will come next?

They said both presidential candidates twice voted for legislation vetoed by Bush, but said after that the candidates' positions get fuzzy.

Summit leaders said Obama has promised to immediately expand federal funding, while McCain's support is less clear.

Thanks to breakthroughs in adult tissue cells, leaders urge the candidates to say specifically if they support research on human embryonic stem cells and how much federal money they'll put toward it.

Siegel said "Since President Bush made his initial statement and policy we've only put in about $200 million for the NIH for human embryonic stem cell research and frankly, it's not enough."

To clarify, Siegel said his group believes it is critical to continue embryonic stem cell research.

On Monday, some top national researchers issued a formal statement that read, "Supporting all forms of stem cell research is in the best, long-term interests of a broad spectrum of patients with complex and debilitating diseases and injuries."