The man who holds the pivotal vote in today's embryonic stem cell research showdown is prepared to make a difficult decision.

He just doesn't know what it will be, despite enormous pressure from both sides.

University of Nebraska Regent Jim McClurg guesses a new e-mail pops into his inbox every two or three minutes -- some pleading with him to vote to expand the research, some asking for a vote restricting it.

He is aware a vote for expansion is a deal-breaker for the pro-life group whose 2006 endorsement of him reached tens of thousands of key voters.

And he surely knows regents' moves are being watched across the nation, a fact reflected in a story on the New York Times Web site Thursday.

Yet McClurg -- a scientist who taught biochemistry at the NU Medical Center and also a man of strong spiritual convictions -- says he won't bow to pressure from either side of the debate.

As of Thursday, the Lincoln regent insisted he hadn't decided how he'll vote on a resolution that would restrict embryonic stem cell research to only the cell lines approved under former President George W. Bush.

"I sure am (undecided)," McClurg said, no hint of stress in his voice. "I want to give everybody a chance to state their piece.

"There's clearly pressure, but it is what the job is. It's part of the obligation."

Regents will hear public testimony on embryonic stem cell research before they vote on the resolution co-authored by Regents Tim Clare of Lincoln, Bob Phares of North Platte and Howard Hawks and Randy Ferlic of Omaha.

There are eight voting members on the Board of Regents. Thus, the resolution needs a fifth vote to pass.

Pro-life groups -- like Nebraska Right to Life, which endorsed McClurg (pictured) thanks to his explicit opposition to expanded embryonic stem cell research -- want McClurg to be that vote.

"For us, it's, ‘You said one thing to the voters and then you're doing something else?'" said Executive Director Julie Schmit-Albin.

"It's a matter of holding them accountable. It's business. It's strictly pro-life business."

Elected officials have in the past lost her group's endorsement after failing to vote accordingly, Schmit-Albin said.

Then-Sen. Curt Bromm, for example, was denied a Nebraska Right to Life endorsement in his 2004 bid to replace former Rep. Doug Bereuter after he didn't support a legislative ban on fetal tissue research.

Jeff Fortenberry, who got the endorsement, won.

"(Bromm) had had a pro-life voting record until that time," Schmit-Albin said. "So we parted ways."

She likened her group's support of a candidate to a business contract: "Only this is a contract that involves life-or-death decisions."

Meanwhile, supporters of embryonic stem cell research -- including NU President J.B. Milliken -- say it is crucial to NU's status as a leading research university and want McClurg to vote down the resolution.

They want medical center scientists to be able to go along with newly relaxed guidelines under President Barack Obama. The research, they say, could lead to treatments for such diseases as Parkinson's and diabetes.

Both sides have sent a flood of e-mails to regents and members of the media. And on Wednesday, the Nebraska Coalition for Ethical Research delivered to regents a petition with nearly 6,900 signatures against expanding the research.

Testimony on the subject at last month's regents meeting stretched more than an hour.

"There's a lot of facts, a lot of feelings, a lot of analysis," McClurg said.

Born in Bassett, McClurg earned his bachelor's degree in biology from Nebraska Wesleyan University and his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the NU medical center. He enjoyed a long career at MDS Pharma Services before retiring last year.

McClurg joined the Board of Regents in 2002 after being appointed by friend and then-Gov. Mike Johanns.

When he ran for re-election in 2006, McClurg earned the backing of Nebraska Right to Life, even renting out the group's mailing list -- which costs $100 per 1,000 names -- to distribute campaign materials.

He won easily, taking 59 percent of the vote.

McClurg was against expanded embryonic stem cell research until at least late 2007, when he told the Journal Star: "I don't believe it's necessary to destroy human life to do good research."

Have his views evolved?

"I would welcome that question after we decide," he said Thursday.

McClurg didn't sign the other pro-life regents' resolution, he said, because he wanted to show respect to members of the public who hadn't yet gotten the chance to testify.

He said it's too early to say whether he'll seek re-election in 2012, but he said he cherishes his position.

"I love our university," he said. "I love the opportunity to be part of a team."

In the meantime, he said, he's read every e-mail that's come to him on stem cell research, although the volume prohibits him from responding to each individually.

He acknowledged that balancing a commitment to science with spiritual beliefs requires careful deliberation.

But, McClurg said, it can be done.

"The only way I know how to do it is thoughtful engagement and deliberation, and trying to come to the right decision on very difficult questions," he said.

"I don't know any other way to do it other than the hard way."

Reach Melissa Lee at 473-2682 or mlee@journalstar.com.