December 2012 Newsletter

CIRM December Newsletter

UC Santa Barbara Opens CIRM-Funded Stem Cell Research Facility


In November, the University of California Santa Barbara celebrated the opening of its Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering. CIRM awarded UCSB $3.2 million from its Major Facilities Grant Program; that was matched by $3.2 million from the university to convert and renovate 10,000 square feet of laboratory space into a state-of-the-art stem cell research facility, part of the Neuroscience Research Institute. This opening marks the completion of the 12th and final stem cell research facility in California funded by CIRM's Major Facilities Grant Program.

Video: Geron Stem Cell Clinical Trial Participant Shares Her Experience

Katie Sharify is one of five people with spinal cord injuries to participate in the world's first clinical trial testing human embryonic stem cells. On November 14th, she spoke about her clinical trial experience with a group of scientists who were meeting to discuss the best ways of advancing stem cell clinical trials. CIRM communications manager Amy Adams interviewed Sharify and her doctor, Stephen McKenna.

ALS and MS Advocate Diane Winokur Appointed to CIRM Governing Board

On November 20th, Diane Winokur, a tireless advocate for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis was appointed to the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC), CIRM's governing board. Winokur served on the ALS Association's National Board of Trustees for five years and is presently an officer on the Golden West Chapter's Board of Directors. She also serves on the board of the the Packard Center. She was appointed to the board by Lt. Governor Gavin Newsome.

Board Member Bert Lubin Named Most Admired CEO

In November, CIRM governing board member Bert Lubin was one of fifteen people to win San Francisco Business Time's 2012 Most Admired CEO award. Dr. Lubin is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland.

Board Member Sheehy and CIRM Grantees Recognized for AIDS Work


POZ, the award-winning print and online brand for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, named CIRM board member Jeff Sheehy and CIRM grantees John Zaia and Paula Cannon to the 2012 POZ 100 list. The list recognizes people who have made a significant contribution to speeding up the end of AIDS.

CIRM Joins Bay Area Science Festival at AT&T Park


On November 3rd, CIRM participated in the Bay Area Science Festival, a free event at AT&T Park celebrating and promoting science. The Festival drew around 30,000 visitors, kids of all ages and parents, who were entertained by a non-stop program of science related interactive exhibits. CIRM was on hand to help explain our role in supporting stem cell research and accelerating the path to therapies.

Happy 8th Birthday CIRM!

Eight years ago on November 5th, 2004, 59% of California voters said yes to funding stem cell research in the state. That vote created the state’s stem cell agency, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. To celebrate eight years, we looked back at some key CIRM milestones over the years.

1200 and Counting: The Latest Publications on CIRM-funded Research

With over 1200 published discoveries, CIRM grantees are making steady progress on understanding the molecular basis of stem cell biology and moving stem cell-based therapies toward clinical trials. Here is a partial list of science journals that published CIRM-funded research in November along with press releases from the grantees' home institutions and entries from the CIRM Stem Cell Research Blog:

November 1st - Genes and Development

November 7th - Journal of Neuroscience

November 14th - Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

Upcoming Events

 

ICOC Governing Board Meeting

Dec 12th: The CIRM governing board will hold its final meeting of 2012 at the Lux hotel in Los Angeles. The agenda and details will be posted to the meetings page 10 days before the event.

2012 World Stem Cell Summit

Dec 3-5: Palm Beach County Convention Center, West Palm Beach, Florida. Planned by and for the stem cell and regenerative medicine community, the 2012 World Stem Cell Summit brings global stakeholders together to solve global challenges. The goal of the Summit is to accelerate the discovery and development of lifesaving cures and therapies.

Upcoming Requests for Applications (RFAs) and Program Announcement (PA) Schedule

RFA 12-09: CIRM Strategic Partnership II Awards - Letter of Intent (LOI) due 5:00 pm (PST), December 18, 2012
CIRM will conduct a webinar for prospective applicants on December 4, 2012 from 1-2 pm PST to address questions about RFA 12-09 and the application process. To participate in the webinar and submit your questions please REGISTER via Webex at: https://cirm.webex.com/cirm/onstage/g.php?d=807716158&t=a&EA=cschaffer%40cirm.ca.gov&ET=4d18029892cabc17c8ea5313aa9d1ee7&ETR=be8a5eed472b94ada89725a64cf0913f&RT=MiM0&p. For more information, visit the RFA 12-09 webpage.

PA 12-08: CIRM Patent Assistance Fund Awards - Application opportunities on a monthly basis until June 30, 2014
The goal of the Patent Assistance Fund is to ensure adequate prosecution of intellectual property (“IP”) relating to CIRM Funded Inventions (“CFIs”) (as defined in the CIRM Grants Administration Policy for Academic and Non-Profit Institutions (GAP)) that have commercial relevance. Eligibility: Only Technology Transfer Officials at current CIRM Grantee institutions are eligible to apply for funds under this program. For more information, visit the PA 12-08 webpage.


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