'Getting Stanford's Attention:' The Transcript of a $1.7 Million Matter

The California stem cell agency has posted online the 24-page transcript from last week's meeting during which the agency's governing board raised sharp questions about Stanford University and its obligation to provide co-funding on a $19 million award to one of its scientists.

The board voted unanimously last Thursday to condition additional millions for the research on receiving by May 1 the co-funding, which totals $1.7 million.

Just before casting his vote, Art Torres, vice chairman of the board and a former longtime state lawmaker, said, 

"I do think that we have put forward this motion in order to get Stanford's attention as to what their commitment has been in the past, and what it will continue to be given the nature of the arrangement that we made with them."

Stanford researcher Judith Shizuru sought $6 million for continuation of a phase one clinical trial to develop a potentially "transformative" product that would eliminate the toxic impact of chemotherapy for a number of diseases. 

The $3 billion agency reduced the amount that would be given to Shizuru to $3.75 million along with imposing the deadline for co-funding. 

The agency expects to run out of money for new awards by the end of this year.