After receiving $14 million in loans from six private
organizations last week, the California Institute for Regenerative
Medicine awarded $12.1 million in grants to institutions throughout
the state Monday, with the largest grant going to UCLA.
The money from the grants ““ the first the agency has been
able to give out since it was created more than a year ago ““
will be used to train 169 scientists and students from 16
universities and nonprofit organizations, focusing on the basics of
stem cells, including ethics courses.
UCLA received $1,231,802 for its first-year budget, to be used
to train 16 scientists. The next largest grant went to Stanford
University, which received $1,221,694. The Scripps Research
Institute at UC San Diego received the smallest grant of $347,160.
In total, eight UCs received grants from the agency.
The agency was created after the passage of Proposition 71 in
November 2004, which provided $3 billion in funding for stem cell
research to California institutions, doling the money out in $300
million per year.
But so far, lawsuits challenging the agency’s legality
have prevented any of that money from being given to stem cell
institutes. Plaintiffs in the two lawsuits allege the agency is
unconstitutional because it lacks the proper oversight that is
required for the use of taxpayer’s money, so the $300 billion
in state money is currently not usable.
Researchers involved with the UCLA Institute for Stem Cell
Biology and Medicine were glad to receive the grant.
“We’re delighted,” said Steven Peckman,
associate director of the UCLA Institute for Stem Cell Biology and
Medicine.
Peckman said this first round of grants will provide
infrastructure through the training of scientists, who will be
educated in research areas such as molecular biology, infectious
diseases and ethical issues.
The center will now be contacting scientists who applied for
research positions earlier this year, asking them to submit
scientific protocol applications.
Peckman said the selection process will hopefully be completed
in the next four to five weeks, and Peckman hopes to be able to
distribute money shortly.
“This will help us provide high-quality training in the
scientific, clinical, social and ethical aspects of stem cell
research to the scientists and clinicians developing the future
therapies in this rapidly emerging field,” said the UCLA
institute’s co-director Judith Gasson, in a statement
released Monday.
There has been controversy over stem cell research as many,
including President Bush, condemn the destruction of an embryo for
scientific purposes.
Stem cells researchers believe they can someday use the cells to
replace damaged body parts and cure diseases such as
Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Peckman said he is looking forward to a swift resolution to the
cases blocking the funds from Proposition 71.
With reports from Bruin wire services.