UCLA Stem Cell Scientists Awarded $49.2 Million

Within four years we may have an answer for some of the deadliest diseases such as sickle cell disease, HIV/AIDS, and ovarian, colorectal, and brain cancers.

A total of 14 grants, over $250 million, were awarded throughout the state of California by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

The CIRM awarded Drs. Irvin Chen, Donald Kohn and Dr. Dennis Slamon grants totalling $49.2 million.

The three UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center (BSCRC) scientists will be able to take their stem cell research and translate it to new bedside therapies by 2014 or sooner.

On November 2, 2004 Californians approved Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative. The initiative makes conducting stem cell research a state constitutional right. It also:

1. Establishes "California Institute for Regenerative Medicine" to regulate stem cell research and provide funding, through grants and loans, for such research and research facilities.
2. Establishes constitutional right to conduct stem cell research; prohibits Institute's funding of human reproductive cloning research.
3. Establishes oversight committee to govern Institute.
4. Provides General Fund loan up to $3 million for Institute's initial administration/implementation costs.
5. Authorizes issuance of general obligation bonds to finance Institute activities up to $3 billion subject to annual limit of $350 million.
6. Appropriates monies from General Fund to pay for bonds.

"As one of the world's top research institutions, UCLA has long been a leader in translational research, taking the best laboratory science from the bench to the bedside to provide novel, more effective therapies that benefit the people of the world" says Chancellor Gene Block.

Advances are happening everyday. Recently, scientists studied mice with human cancers to compare the cancer-destroying ability of The Human Embryonic Stem Cells -derived and Natural Killer cells. It not only destroyed human cancers in mice, but also protected them from recurrence.

"In recent years, when it comes to stem cell research, rather than furthering discovery, our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values," said President Obama in March.

In his first 100 days of office, President Obama overturned Bush Policy on stem cells, signing executive order 13505 repealing the policy that limited federal tax dollars for embryonic stem cell research.

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