Working Groups that Guide the CIRM Governing Board

The CIRM Board, the Independent Citizen’s Oversight Committee, gets guidance from three working groups delving into ethical standards, grants review and facilities.

• The Scientific and Medical Accountability Standards Working Group (Standards Working Group), made up of patient advocate members of the Board, ethicists and clinicians, makes recommendations to the Board regarding medical and ethical standards for obtaining research materials and for the conduct of clinical trials.
• The Scientific and Medical Research Facilities Working Group (Facilities Working Group), made up of patient advocates from the Board and real estate specialists, makes recommendations to the Board regarding funding for buildings and capital equipment including the setting of milestones and timetables.
• The Scientific and Medical Research Funding Working Group (Grants Working Group), made up of over 100 stem cell science experts from outside California and patient advocates from the Board, review applications for funding, 15 scientist members per review session, ranking them with numerical scores and recommending a subset of applications for funding.