Lt. Governor John Garamendi Appoints Dr. Marsha A. Chandler to Stem Cell Oversight Board

SACRAMENTO– Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi today named Dr. Marsha Chandler to the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC), which governs the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Dr. Chandler currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Salk Institute in La Jolla.

 

  “Stem cell research holds great promisse for California, both in terms of lives saved and in the development of future industries”, said Lt. Governor Garamendi. “With more than 20 years of academic leadership and management experience, I am confident that Dr. Chandler will be a strong and knowledgeable advocate for progress on the ICOC.”

  Dr. Chandler assumes the ICOC position previously held by Dr. Richard Murphy, who is now CIRMs Interim President. Dr. Chandler brings more than two decades of experience in providing administrative oversight to academic and research programs. Before joining the Salk Institute, she served as Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Acting Chancellor at the University of California, San Diego and as Dean of Arts and Sciences at the University of Toronto. A renowned scholar, Dr. Chandler is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. A graduate of the Advanced Management Program (AMP) in the Business School at Harvard University, she also served as a visiting professor at the Kennedy Schools Center for Public Leadership. Dr. Chandler earned a Doctorate from the University of North Carolina, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of the City of New York.

  In 2004, California voters approved Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, a statewide ballot measure which established the CIRM and provided $3 billion in funding for stem cell research at California universities and research institutions. Governed by the 29-member ICOC, the Institute makes grants and provides loans for stem cell research and research facilities. To date, the ICOC has approved more than $208.5 million grants, making CIRM the largest source of funding for stem cell research in the world. The Lieutenant Governor is responsible for appointing five members of the ICOC. This position does not require Senate confirmation. 

Contact: Norman D. Williams
916 / 445-8994