ICOC ACCEPTS $5 MILLION PRIVATE DONATION, MEETS WITH LEGISLATORS ATMEETING IN SACRAMENTO – Also Appoints Members of Scientific and Medical Research Facilities Working Group –

SACRAMENTO, CA – The Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (ICOC) for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) today accepted a private charitable gift of $5 million from Ray and Dagmar Dolby of San Francisco, met with several legislators about pending legislation including SCA-13, and approved the appointment of 11 members to serve on its Scientific and Medical Research Facilities Working Group (Facilities Working Group).

“We came to Sacramento so the entire ICOC would have the opportunity to meet with legislators and legislators would have the opportunity to talk with the entire ICOC,” said Robert Klein, Chair of the ICOC. “Senators Dunn, Ortiz and Speier were gracious enough to take time out of their busy schedules to discuss the pending legislation which affects the future of CIRM. Due to the willingness of the legislators to engage in a productive discussion, we believe some real progress was made today.”

The ICOC voted to accept the $5 million gift from the Dolby family to be used for the creation of the infrastructure and systems to allow CIRM to carry out its grant making program, to support CIRM’s scientific planning, and to defray the general operating expenses of CIRM. The Dolbys said they made this contribution because they are fascinated by the possibility of a significant advancement of medical science through regenerative medicine research, enthusiastic about the mission of this Institute and impressed by the commitment of those involved.

In referring to the gift from the Dolbys, Klein said:

” Last November, 7 million Californians voted for Proposition 71, in favor of stem cell research or regenerative medicine. Among those in San Francisco were Ray and Dagmar Dolby, who recently thought about the critical nature of the Proposition 71 startup situation. They decided to step forward to make a gift of $5 million to the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to fund critical staffing needs essential to advance the Institute’s mission.

For my family, for every California family suffering from chronic disease, and for every Californian with friends and relatives suffering from chronic disease, we thank the Dolbys – they are great champions of this medical frontier and the Institute’s undaunted commitment to honor the mandate of 7 million California voters.”

The ICOC also voted to create a Legislative Subcommittee to advise the ICOC on both State and Federal legislation affecting CIRM.

Contact:

Nicole Pagano
(415) 396-9100