CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (USD $)	Common Shares [Member]	Treasury Shares [Member]	Contributed Capital [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Total
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2010	$ 101,135,428	$ 0	$ 93,972	$ (63,954,509)	$ 11,253,428	$ 897,338	$ 49,425,657
BALANCE (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010	47,777,701	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common shares issued as part of acquisition of CTI assets	2,300,000						2,300,000
Common shares issued as part of acquisition of CTI assets (in shares)	261,959
Common shares issued as part of merger	2,600,000						2,600,000
Common shares issued as part of merger (in shares)	332,903
Treasury shares issued as part of investment in subsidiary	6,000,000	(6,000,000)					0
Treasury shares issued as part of investment in subsidiary (in shares)	1,286,174	(1,286,174)
Common shares retired as payment for exercise of options	(28,067)						(28,067)
Common shares retired as payment for exercise of options (in shares)	(6,435)
Common shares issued for rent							0
Common shares issued for consulting services							0
Exercise of options	251,981						251,981
Exercise of options (in shares)	450,660
Warrants exercised	425,000						425,000
Warrants exercised (in shares)	219,000
Warrants issued as part of merger with Glycosan	954,879						954,879
Outside investment in subsidiaries					3,213,500		3,213,500
Stock options granted for compensation	1,505,566						1,505,566
Stock options granted for compensation in subsidiary					273,635		273,635
Foreign currency translation gain (loss)						(1,020,087)	(1,020,087)
NET LOSS				(16,515,500)	(1,928,383)		(18,443,883)
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2011	115,144,787	(6,000,000)	93,972	(80,470,009)	12,812,180	(122,749)	41,458,181
BALANCE (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011	50,321,962	(1,286,174)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common shares issued as part of merger	1,802,684						1,802,684
Common shares issued as part of merger (in shares)	448,429
Sale of common shares, net of fees paid and amortized and syndication costs	1,002,220						1,002,220
Sale of common shares, net of fees paid and amortized and syndication costs (in shares)	314,386
Common shares issued for rent							0
Common shares issued for consulting services							0
Exercise of options	286,552						286,552
Exercise of options (in shares)	98,541						98,541
Subsidiary shares issued as part of merger with XenneX					2,501,415		2,501,415
Stock options granted for compensation	1,560,469						1,560,469
Stock options granted for compensation in subsidiary	24,531				274,656		299,187
Outside investment in subsidiary with BioTime common shares		(2,750,003)			2,750,003		0
Outside investment in subsidiary with BioTime common shares (in shares)		(592,533)
Sales of treasury shares		374,606					374,606
Sales of treasury shares (in shares)		78,598
Outside investment in subsidiaries in cash					250,000		250,000
Outside investment in subsidiaries with stock					1,740		1,740
Foreign currency translation gain (loss)						63,179	63,179
NET LOSS				(21,425,703)	(3,880,157)		(25,305,860)
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2012	119,821,243	(8,375,397)	93,972	(101,895,712)	14,709,837	(59,570)	24,294,373
BALANCE (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012	51,183,318	(1,800,109)					49,383,209
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common shares issued as part of investment in subsidiary	38,485,162	(38,485,162)
Common shares issued as part of investment in subsidiary (in shares)	9,808,812	(9,808,812)
8,000,000 Warrants issued as part of investment in subsidiary	18,276,406						18,276,406
Sale of common shares, net of fees paid and amortized and syndication costs	22,297,209						22,297,209
Sale of common shares, net of fees paid and amortized and syndication costs (in shares)	6,284,456
Warrants issued to outside investors	1,848,730						1,848,730
Common shares issued for rent	253,758						253,758
Common shares issued for rent (in shares)	73,553
Common shares issued for consulting services	173,100						173,100
Common shares issued for consulting services (in shares)	42,000
Exercise of options	46,000						46,000
Exercise of options (in shares)	20,000
Stock options granted for compensation	2,143,596						2,143,596
Stock options granted for compensation in subsidiary	111,197				789,981		901,178
Sales of treasury shares		3,826,602					3,826,602
Sales of treasury shares (in shares)		911,206
Outside investment in subsidiaries in cash					5,255,502		5,255,502
Outside investment in subsidiary with assets					15,732,524		15,732,524
Foreign currency translation gain (loss)						119,469	119,469
Unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities						3,000	3,000
NET LOSS				(43,882,835)	(9,026,291)		(52,909,126)
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 203,456,401	$ (43,033,957)	$ 93,972	$ (145,778,547)	$ 27,461,553	$ 62,899	$ 42,262,321
BALANCE (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	67,412,139	(10,697,715)					56,714,424