Image by faithie via ShutterstockAfter decades of neglect, California’s infrastructure is poised for an upgrade. Thanks in part to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed by President Biden in November 2021, the Golden State is set to receive more than $100 billion in federal and state infrastructure funds over the next several years.
A stem cell researcher in the laboratory. (Photo: 18percentgrey, via Shutterstock)The recent federal crackdown on the use of fetal tissue in scientific research could well be a harbinger of an effort to revive restrictions on the use of human embryonic stem cells, placing a roadblock in the way of creation of therapies to treat often deadly afflictions that affect millions of Americans. And it could have an impact on the fate of California’s $3 billion stem cell program, which expects to run out of money for new awards by the end of next year.
U.S. Capitol at sunset. (Photo: Diego Grandi, via Shutterstock)This past weekend brought news about a “rapturous agreement among Republicans and Democrats” to support development of new therapies by financing biomedical research with billions of dollars. The New York Times article indicated that the rapture could have something to do with the fact that many key political leaders on Capitol Hill are “aging in place.”
Robert Klein addresses a meeting of two governing board committees of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. (Photo: David Jensen, California Stem Cell Report)Facing the likelihood of a slow and withering death, the California stem cell agency is edging gingerly forward on a path of “cuts” and risky fund-raising in hopes that its research results will soon generate voter support for more billions of dollars. Two governing board committees of the $3 billion agency, formally known as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), on Monday. Nov. 27, recommended that the full board “entertain” the proposals at its Dec. 14 meeting.
The Lorry I. Lokey stem cell research building at Stanford University, a major facility of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. (Photo: CIRM)California’s $3 billion stem cell research program is looking for a new president to carry the state agency through what may be the last three years of its life. The search committee of the agency’s 29-member governing board meets July 17 to discuss the matter behind closed doors.
Ed’s Note: Here is the full text of the response from the California stem cell agency to a query about the five most important things that it thinks Californians should know about the $3 billion effort.
A human DNA complex. ((Illustration, Shutterstock)The man often called the father of the California stem cell agency has all but said he is set to launch an effort to pump an additional $5 billion in state funding into the research effort, which is scheduled to run out of cash in about three years.
A high-resolution image of human egg cells. (Jezper, via Shutterstock)The president of the California stem cell agency, Randy Mills, yesterday said that the firms that responded to an ambitious proposal to create a $150 million public/private partnership were seeking to make a “better deal” than the agency had offered. Mills said that the agency was “not going to give away something that is not in the best interests of the people of California.”
Throat cancer patient Karl Trede, who was treated with the "eat me" protein therapy. (Photo: California Institute for Regenerative Medicine)In an emotion-choked session, the mother of a six-year-old girl thanked California’s stem cell agency for saving the life of her daughter. “Thank you for keeping my family complete,” said Alysia Padilla-Vaccaro, her voice cracking as she spoke to the governing board of the $3 billion California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), as the agency is formally known.
A research scientist on the job in a laboratory. (Photo: Anyaivanova, via ShutterstockAfter a hiccup last month, the California stem cell agency this week coughed up $15 million for a quartet of researchers looking into Alzheimer’s disease, cartilage repair, arthritis and sickle cell disease, but not before lopping off a big chunk of one proposal.