California Stem Cell Agency Panel OKs 12 Building Grant Requests
A dozen applications for grants to fund construction of new research facilities won approval in the first round of review by a committee of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine on Friday, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (Somers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12/15).
Voters approved the creation of the stem cell agency under Proposition 71, a 2004 ballot measure that authorized the sale of $3 billion in state bonds over 10 years for stem cell research (California Healthline, 12/10).
There will be $227 million available for facilities' grants in this round of funding. Grant applications will be evaluated in three levels, depending on the amount of funding requested.
Five grant applications were rejected.
Richard Murphy, interim president of CIRM, said the funding requests were evaluated based on:
- Expertise of researchers who would use the facilities;
- Quality of research conducted at the facilities; and
- Whether the facilities would bring together researchers with different professional skills.
Applicants must show that they can raise matching funds for the grants.
The second round of review will require applicants to submit building plans for the proposed facilities and detail how the buildings would advance stem cell research and enhance collaboration among researchers.
The Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee, CIRM's governing board, will review the 12 proposals in January 2008 to determine which applications will be forwarded to the next round of evaluation (San Diego Union-Tribune, 12/15). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.