In November 2004, California voters approved Proposition 71, which established the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and authorized the issuance of $3 billion in state general obligation bonds to provide funding for stem cell research and facilities in California. CIRM’s mission is to accelerate stem cell treatments to patients with unmet medical needs.
Between April 2006 and September 2020, the agency awarded UCLA researchers 120 grants totaling more than $307 million. Here is a by-the-numbers look at the impact of this funding:
51 basic biology grants supporting projects seeking critical insights into the basic mechanisms underlying stem cell biology, cellular plasticity and cellular differentiation. These research projects aim to inform future therapies for dozens of conditions including heart disease, genetic and blood disorders, cancer, spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders.
3 consecutive three‐year training grants that supported 146 year‐long training fellowships [11] for graduate students, post‐doctoral and clinical fellows working in UCLA laboratories.
5 COVID‐19 Related Grants supporting promising discovery, preclinical and clinical trial stage projects that could quickly advance treatments to patients [12] in need.
38 Clinical – Translational Research Grants
8 new faculty awards to encourage and foster the next generation of clincial and scientfic leaders in stem cell research. Recipients include:
CIRM funding supported UCLA research on many conditions, including the following:
One major facilities grant to fund the establishment of the Broad Stem Cell Research Center‐ California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Laboratory [28] on the 3rd floor of the Terasaki Life Sciences Building.
Two grants to establish the shared research laboratories: 4,700 assignable square feet of multi‐investigator laboratory space for the experimental manipulation and ultimate clinical application of human pluripotent stem cells.
Two new cell line awards to help scientists develop and apply innovative approaches that will produce new and previously unavailable human pluripotent stem cell lines:
One patent assistance fund award to help ensure CIRM grantees preserve intellectual property positions that are intended to enhance the marketability of CIRM‐funded inventions and make downstream investment and development more likely.
Eight grants to support conferences, including: the annual symposium of the CIRM Alpha Stem Cell Clinics (ASCC) Network, California ALS Summit, a UC System‐wide Bioengineering Conference and Stem Cells: a New Avenue for HIV Research
Tiare Dunlap
(310) 206-8367
tdunlap@mednet.ucla.edu [29]
Links
[1] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news?tid=8
[2] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news?tid=9
[3] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news?tid=10
[4] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news?tid=11
[5] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news?tid=12
[6] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news/impact-15-years-cirm-funding-ucla
[7] https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstemcell.ucla.edu%2Fprint%2F2955
[8] https://twitter.com/intent/tweet/?text=The+impact+of+15+years+of+CIRM+funding+at+UCLA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fstemcell.ucla.edu%2Fprint%2F2955
[9] https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fstemcell.ucla.edu%2Fprint%2F2955
[10] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/print/2955
[11] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/Broad%20Stem%20Cell%20Research%20Center%20Training%20Program
[12] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news/how-ucla-scientists-are-using-stem-cells-take-covid-19
[13] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/cirm-ucla-uci-alpha-stem-cell-clinic
[14] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news/young-man-who-underwent-gene-therapy-immune-system-deficiency-gives-back-working-hospital
[15] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news/new-grant-funds-cutting-edge-ucla-clinical-trial-late-stage-lung-cancer
[16] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news/ucla-research-shows-promising-method-correcting-genetic-code-treat-sickle-cell-disease
[17] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news/family-travels-7500-miles-save-son%E2%80%99s-life-treatment-developed-ucla
[18] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news/46-million-grant-funds-clinical-trial-stem-cell-immunotherapy-metastatic-sarcoma-and-other-hard
[19] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news/three-ucla-scientists-receive-grants-totaling-more-18-million
[20] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/member/ardehali
[21] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/member/gomperts
[22] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/member/jones
[23] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/member/kurdistani
[24] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/member/mikkola
[25] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/member/nsair
[26] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/member/plath
[27] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/members/R
[28] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news/new-technologically-advanced-labs-opened-expand-research-efforts-ucla-broad-stem-cell-research
[29] mailto:tdunlap@mednet.ucla.edu
[30] https://stemcell.ucla.edu/news/stem-cell-breakthrough-ucla-researcher-pioneers-gene-therapy-cure-children-%E2%80%9Cbubble-baby%E2%80%9D-diseas
[31] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBh29QTW4SY&list=PLpHzfne07QDMzkZtgAbIQCGGT-08qbOYH&index=4