Philanthropist Gives UCLA $20M for Stem Cell Research
On Monday, Eli Broad is scheduled to announce a $20 million donation to UCLA for stem cell research, the latest in a string of major donations to California universities to help fund stem cell research, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation already has given $25 million to the University of Southern California's stem cell research program, and Broad has left open the possibility of the foundation providing additional support for stem cell research in the future.
The donation to UCLA will be used to help buy equipment, fund research grants and endow professorships. Money will be available for research involving embryonic and adult stem cells.
Broad said, "California, in my mind, will without a doubt be the leader in North American stem cell research as a result of Proposition 71 and the great research universities we have."
California voters in 2004 approved Proposition 71 to provide $3 billion in state bonds to fund stem cell research.
In recognition of the donation, UCLA will change the name of its Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine to the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and UCLA officials will appear at the announcement (Ornstein, Los Angeles Times, 9/10). The event will be webcast on the governor's homepage.
In other stem cell research news, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine held an information meeting on Friday to gather input from companies as the agency continues work on policies governing CIRM grants to businesses, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
CIRM, which was created under Proposition 71, so far has awarded grants only to not-for-profit organizations but soon will begin awarding funds to businesses as well.
Duane Roth -- a member of the Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee, which oversees CIRM -- said such funds would be available by the first quarter of 2008.
Representatives of companies called for agency officials to modify provisions of the policy for not-for-profit organizations to address concerns about clinical trials and public disclosure of royalty information (Somers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9/8).