CIRM's Roth Dies Following Bike Accident

Duane Roth, co-vice chairman of the California stem cell agency, died yesterday from brain injuries suffered in a bicycle accident two weeks ago.

Duane Roth, Connect photo

Roth, CEO of Connect, a San Diego organization aimed at fostering technology entrepreneurship, succumbed yesterday afternoon at the UC San Diego Medical Center, the San Diego U-T reported. He was 63.

An avid bicyclist, Roth was injured while biking in the mountains east of San Diego July 21. Roth hit an outcropping and his helmet was broken in the accident.

Roth was a long-time member of the 29-person governing board of the $3 billion California stem cell agency and was a strong advocate for industry. He chaired the agency's loan task force, was vice chair of the Intellectual Property and Industry Engagement Subcommittee and a member of the executive committee.

J.T. Thomas, chairman of the stem cell agency, released the following statement this morning.

“On behalf of all the CIRM family, we mourn the loss of our colleague and dear friend Duane Roth.  Throughout his tenure with us, he was one of the true stewards of the mission, offering countless insights on the role of industry in the world of regenerative medicine and how best and efficiently to drive therapies through to patients.  He was unfailingly a voice of reason and optimism and always sought to find ways to make things happen, refusing to take 'no' for an answer.  Though one of 29 Board members, his extensive participation as co-Vice Chair of the Board, co-chair of Intellectual Property and Industry Engagement Subcommittee and a member of our Executive Committee gave Duane a singularly important and resonant voice in our organization.  His passing will be deeply felt by all of us as well as by the many patients and other CIRM stakeholders whom he touched over the years.  We send our deepest sympathies to Renee, Duane's brothers and the rest of the Roth family.”

Roth recently was involved in raising funds for cancer, and reporter Bradley Fikes wrote in the San Diego U-T,

“Contributions in Roth’s name can be made to Pedal the Cause, a fund-raiser for cancer research that Roth supported. More than $10,000 has been raised since Roth's accident."