12/17/2008
Officials at UC-San Francisco plan to announce today a $25 million donation from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation for UCSF's new stem cell research center. The foundation has contributed $20 million for a stem cell research facility at UCLA and $25 million for USC's stem cell research center. San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Business Times.
12/12/2008
On Wednesday, California's stem cell agency awarded a new round of research grants ranging from $700,000 to $1.1 million each. Eight stem cell research grants were awarded to academic researchers, while six commercial operators received stem cell grants. San Diego Union-Tribune.
12/11/2008
Despite a letter from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger expressing concern about providing compensation to officials at the state stem cell agency, California's Institute of Regenerative Medicine has approved a $150,000 salary for Robert Klein, chair of the agency's Independent Citizen’s Oversight Committee. Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger on Tuesday nominated Duane Roth, a member of the Independent Citizen's Oversight Committee, to be the agency's next vice chair. Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert."
12/10/2008
State Treasurer Bill Lockyer has nominated Art Torres, chair of the state Democratic Party, to be vice chair of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Torres, a former state assembly member and senator, said that he also expects Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and Controller John Chiang to nominate him. The institute's board will choose the new vice chair from candidates nominated by the state's constitutional officers. San Diego Union-Tribune.
12/08/2008
Citing the state deficit, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a letter to the state stem cell institute's board expressed concern about its plan to set salaries for the chair and vice chair of its board. For the past three years, no one in those positions has accepted compensation. San Diego Union-Tribune.
11/24/2008
California's stem cell research efforts are limited by regulations that prohibit paying women to become egg donors. Meanwhile, Robert Klein, chair of the state stem cell institute's oversight board, said that California voters likely will get a chance to extend taxpayer funding of stem cell research beyond the $3 billion that already has been committed. An editorial calls for reforming the institute. San Diego Union-Tribune, Sacramento Bee.
11/18/2008
President-elect Barack Obama has indicated that he plans to overturn President Bush's limitations on federal funding for stem cell research. California scientists and biotechnology companies argue that Bush's stem cell policies have hindered research efforts. Contra Costa Times.
11/17/2008
President-elect Obama has pledged to overturn President Bush's executive order limiting federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research, but scientists realize that efforts to jump start the flailing U.S. economy will probably come first. by George Lauer
11/10/2008
Congress will delay action on comprehensive health care reform proposals until measures have been passed to jumpstart the U.S. economy. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said action on health care reform likely would not occur in the first one or two months of the next congressional session. Washington Post et al.
11/05/2008
As 44th president of the United States, Democrat Barack Obama is expected to act on efforts to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program and allow federal funding for embryonic stem cell research early in his presidency. Questions linger on whether Obama will pursue a large-scale health care reform effort. CNN.com et al.
10/28/2008
UC-Irvine and Stanford University recently broke ground on two stem cell research facilities set to be among the largest in the country. Stanford's 200,000-square-foot, $200 million facility and UC-Irvine's $66.6 million center are set to open in 2010. Orange County Register, San Jose Mercury News.
10/21/2008
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine and the United Kingdom's Medical Research Council have partnered to support research collaborations between scientists. In June, the state's stem cell funding institute announced similar agreements with the Australian state of Victoria and Canada's Cancer Stem Cell Consortium. San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Business Times.
10/14/2008
The California Institute of Regenerative Medicine is providing more than $270 million toward construction projects for new stem cell research centers, while private groups are kicking in another $516 million. Concerns remain about the science that CIRM will fund. Contra Costa Times.
10/06/2008
Lorry Lokey, a philanthropist and founder of Business Wire, is donating $75 million to help the Stanford University School of Medicine build what could be the country's largest stem cell research center. School officials say Lokey is the lead contributor for the $200 million stem cell research center. The center is expected to be complete in the summer of 2010. San Francisco Chronicle.
10/03/2008
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded a $305,000 grant to Palo Alto-based StemCells to research and develop a potential cell-based therapy for liver disease resulting from hepatitis C infection. Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.