Latest Round of Stem Cell Research Grants Awarded in California
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine on Wednesday awarded $54.4 million in grants to researchers at 13 universities and research institutions throughout California, the Sacramento Bee reports (Downing, Sacramento Bee, 12/13).
The New Faculty Grants are intended to help scientists who have completed their training begin their careers as independent researchers. Oftentimes, it is difficult for such researchers to win federal research grants, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune (Somers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12/13).
The latest round of grant awards pushes total CIRM research funding for 2007 to about $222 million (Sacramento Bee, 12/13).
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).
Grant applications from 10 scientists were disqualified in this round of funding because they included letters signed by leaders of their institution who also are members of the Independent Citizen's Oversight Committee, CIRM's governing board. The situation is a violation of CIRM's conflict-of-interest policies.
Those grant applications will be eligible for consideration at the board's January 2008 meeting when it reviews another round of faculty grants (San Diego Union-Tribune, 12/13).
A list of grant recipients is posted on CIRM's Web site (.pdf).