California Universities, Institutes Receive $50 Million To Study Stem Cells

DATELINE: LOS ANGELES

USC, UCLA and UC Irvine were among 17 academic and non-profit institutions in California to receive new funds from $50 million in grants awarded today from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Researchers studying human embryonic stem cells will use the grants to fund the renovation of laboratory space, equipment for new research facilities and operating expenses for three years.

"Once again, our state is leading the nation in stem cell research," said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. "With the grants announced today, California has issued more than $200 million in grants to pursue potential therapies and cures for debilitating diseases. In addition, this funding will help build new lab space for embryonic stem cell research and will ensure that scientists do not lose federal funding while working on this potentially life-saving science."

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine agreed to provide UCLA with a $2.8 million grant, UC Irvine with a $2.67 million and a total of $6.4 million to USC and its affiliated Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Childrens Hospital Los Angeles plans to use $2.8 million to build a 3,000-square-foot laboratory, which will include four tissue culture rooms. USC will spend $3.6 million to construct seven tissue culture workstations with biosafety cabinets, incubators and microscopes.

"The grants complement our hard work in developing strong programs and recruiting an outstanding team of scientists," said Dr. Brian Henderson, dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC. "The funding will help develop more vitally important facilities that are needed for stem cell investigation and the eventual translation of new discoveries to patient care."

Voters approved Proposition 71 in 2004, which provides $3 billion in funding for stem cell research at California universities and research institutions. To date, the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee, which governs the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, has allocated more than $200 million.

"It's critically important that California provide a 'safe harbor' where scientists can work on new stem cell lines without endangering their institutions' federal funding," said Robert N. Klein, chairman of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee.

"It's equally important that we help finance new facilities to house the growth of this emerging life sciences field. These grants establish a great collaborative model that leverages the intellectual capital of California's leading scientific institutions for the benefit of all Californians."