The California stem cell agency board today approved $125,000 to send as many 125 persons to the World Stem Cell Summit in Pasadena in October.
Up to 75 would be patient advocates, a group that will be key in drumming up support for a new $3 billion to $5 billion bond ballot measure that has been proposed by by CIRM Chairman Robert Klein. The other 50 would be researchers and others involved in CIRM grant programs. The subsidies would be paid with funds donated to the agency by private parties.
The stem cell meeting is sponsored by a stem cell advocacy organization, the Genetics Policy Institute.
Board members raised questions about the cost of the registration -- $495 -- at the convention. They also asked whether any speakers or parts of the program would be controlled by industry sponsors. A representative of the convention said sponsors cannot "pay to play."
During the board discussion, CIRM staff disclosed that the agency also expected to receive a request for a $50,000 conference grant to support the meeting from Caltech, one of the convention sponsors.
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