A Book Review: Stem Cell Battles in California, a Pioneer's Perspective

(Editor's note: The following book review was offered by Raymond Barglow of Berkeley, who describes himself as a veteran of the Proposition 71 ballot campaign of 2004.) 

By Raymond Barglow

Don Reed's new book "Stem Cell Battles: Proposition 71 and Beyond" (available at Amazon) gives us an insider's perspective on the historical whirlwind that today is driving forward medical research in California and elsewhere. The author, who has been called the "Grandfather of Stem Cell Research Advocacy" for his longstanding commitment to this cause, is intimately familiar with the community of scientists, politicians, and patient activists who first came together over a decade ago to advocate stem cell research. Their signature achievement has been passage of Proposition 71 in California, which established financing for the research to the tune of three billion dollars. Largely as a result of their effort, we stand today at the threshold of medical breakthroughs that will save millions of lives.

As Reed explains, the stem cell research mission is advanced out not only in laboratories but also in the centers of political power. The research requires funding and has to withstand attack from

Don Reed on right, left is Bob Klein, former
 chairman of the stem cell agency,  and center is
Arnold Schwarzenegger, former governor of California

religious fanaticism that aims to shut it down. Standing staunchly against publicly funded embryonic stem cell research have been not only anti-government conservatives but also fundamentalist religious organizations and Catholic officialdom.

Claiming that the very earliest embryo, consisting of a few hundred cells and so small that it is invisible to the naked eye, has a sacred "right to life," opponents of embryonic stem cell research have organized to defeat funding in federal and state legislatures and have sued in court to make the research illegal. This has been and continues to be a hard-fought battle, with neither side clearly prevailing to date.

In the 1980s and '90s, AIDS activism united patient advocates with doctors and scientists to push forward the search for cures. Less well known is the stem cell research movement whose equally challenging path forward Reed chronicles for us. Although the story that he tells begins in California, many milestones have also been achieved in other states and abroad. Researchers in Canada, China, Singapore, Brazil, Japan and many other countries form a worldwide community to advance the search for deeper understanding of diseases and the invention of effective stem cell treatments to cure them. In a world torn apart by narrow interests and violent antagonisms, we have much to learn from the example of impassioned cooperation that the worldwide stem cell research community has set.

In brief, Don Reed provides in this book an inside view of the stem cell research saga, and he's done so with wisdom, spirit, and a sense of humor that combine to make the book entertaining as well as profoundly illuminating.

Brown Veto of Spinal Research Funds Triggers Ire

California Gov. Jerry Brown's veto of legislation backed by some stem cell patient advocates has triggered a sharp and negative reaction. One person said he was “disgusted” by the veto. Another person called the governor a “stingy rat.”

It was Roman Reed, a California patient advocate, who said he was disgusted and now planned to run for the state legislature to help find cures for paralyzed persons. Reed said in an interview with the blog ipscell.com:

“Curing the paralyzed and finding medical cures is the most important task of our lives for the health of our loved ones and the economy.  Some fights we just have to win and together we can.”

The legislation in question is AB714 by Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont. It would have provided $1 million to UC Irvine's Reeve-Irvine Research Center, which has received $15.1 million from similar state appropriations over past years. The money has gone for research into spinal cord injuries and paralysis and has involved human embryonic stem cells. However, funding of the act has expired.

Brown said in his veto message that the measure “strives to do only good.” But the governor said that he has proposed $511 million in additional support for the University of California over the next four years. He indicated that it is now up to the UC system to decide whether it wants to use some of that additional cash for the spinal cord research.

UC Davis researcher Paul Knoepfler wrote about the veto on his blog and carried Reed's remarks. One of the persons commenting on the item identified himself as Brian Sanderson and said,

“I recall reading that Christopher Reeve(the actor who played Superman) said 'I wish I was a rat' when he heard of the progress that had been made repairing spinal cords of rats. Personally, I think that the Governor is behaving like a stingy rat.”

Reed was named as the Knoepfler Lab Stem Cell Person of 2012 for his lobbying efforts here and in Alabama as well as for his mentoring of other advocates. Reed is the son of another stem cell activist, Don Reed, who wrote about the veto on his blog, Stem Cell Battles. The legislation involved in the governor's veto is named after the younger Reed, who was paralyzed as the result of a football accident some years ago.

The legislation indirectly involves directors of the California stem cell agency. The head of the UCI Reeve Center, Oswald Steward, sits on the agency's governing board, along with Sue Bryant, interim provost of UCI, and Sherry Lansing, a former chair of the UC Board of Regents. Roman Reed also came up with the motto of the stem cell agency: “Turning stem cells into cures.”

From the Reed Family: A Thankful Perspective on the Geron Trials

Don Reed of Fremont, Ca., is a nearly tireless and good-hearted advocate for human embryonic stem cell research. Today's announcement concerning the Geron clinical trials has special meaning for him and his family. We asked him for comment. Here is what he sent.

"MAGNIFICENT BEGINNING

"Don, Roman, and the entire Reed family would like to congratulate Geron Corporation and the stem cell research community for today's wonderful news.

Years ago, California's Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999 funded Dr. Hans Keirstead's pioneering work, just approved for human trials by the FDA. These particular trials, to re-insulate nerves in the damaged spine, will involve only newly injured individuals. But they are forerunners of the day when paralysis will no longer be an automatic life sentence in a prison of immobility.

"Roman was asked by a reporter: what was the first thing he would do on the day when regenerative medicine allows him to walk again?

"He replied: 'I want to walk down the beach, hand in hand with my wife Terri, and toss a ball around with my children.'

"A small dream -- and an enormous one-- because if we can cure paralysis, the very symbol of that which has been called incurable, we can do anything.

"Congratulations to all, and may the New Year, and the new administration, live up to this magnificent beginning.

"Thank you,"

Don C. Reed

Chron on Reed Conflict Case

Reporter David Perlman of the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday wrote a piece on the ethics case involving a director of the California stem cell agency. Perlman secured a brief comment from the director, John Reed, who is also head of the Burnham Institute of La Jolla, Ca., Perlman wrote that Reed said only that he will now resume his activities on the CIRM board.

Reed Ethics Case Receives Modest Coverage

The ethics warning by California regulators involving a director of the state's $3 billion stem cell agency drew light news coverage today.

The conflict-of-interest incident received the most fulsome attention in two San Diego area newspapers, the Union-Tribune (Terri Somers writing) and the North County Times(Bradley Fikes writing). That's because the case involves John Reed, head of the Burnham Institute in La Jolla, Ca.

Erika Check, writing on the blog of Nature magazine, carried the following statement from Robert Klein, chairman of CIRM.

"We are delighted that with the completion of the review by the Fair Political Practices Commission. Dr. John Reed will reengage in his role as an ICOC [board] member. As CIRM matures, we continue to review and enhance our policies and procedures to avoid potential problems in the future."

It was Klein, an attorney who drafted much of Prop. 71, who advised Reed to write a letter lobbying the CIRM staff to reverse an unfavorable decision involving a $638,000 grant to Burnham. The letter prompted the state ethics investigation.

The Associated Press also wrote a brief story that appeared on various websites, including those of the San Francisco Chronicle, The Sacramento Bee and the San Jose Mercury News.

None of the stories carried a response from Reed, who Somers reported is traveling.

(An earlier version of this item did not contain the information from the Nature blog.)

Burnham's Reed Warned by State Ethics Agency on Conflict of Interest

California's government ethics overseers have issued a "warning letter" to a director of the California stem cell agency for attempting to influence the agency's staff to reverse a denial of a $638,000 grant to his research organization.

The attempt by John Reed, CEO of the Burnham Institute of La Jolla, Ca., was first disclosed by the California Stem Cell Report in November 2007.

Subsequently, John M. Simpson, stem cell project director for Consumer Watchdog of Santa Monica, Ca, asked the Fair Political Practices Commission to investigate Reed's action. California's top fiscal officer, Controller John Chiang, also called for an FPPC inquiry. Simpson disclosed the FPPC's warning today in a news release circulated nationally.

The FPPC said that Reed "intended to influence a decision that had the potential to affect his economic interests." The ethics agency said that Reed's action "raises ethical concerns," declaring,

"We are closing this matter with a warning letter....Dr. Reed is advised that failure to comply with the provisions of (state conflict of interest laws) can result in an enforcement action against him, including monetary penalties of up to $5,000 for each violation."

Reed recused himself from serving on the board during the FPPC investigation and appointed an alternate to fill in.

Simpson said he hoped that the 29 members of the CIRM board of directors had learned from the Reed incident. He said Reed can now return to the board and make a "positive contribution."

In response to an inquiry, Chiang's office said,

"Any conflict of interest threatens CIRM’s credibility and jeopardizes voters’ tremendous investment in stem cell research, which is why CIRM itself adopted a conflict-of-interest policy shortly after its creation.

"CIRM and the ICOC have a tremendous amount of work ahead of them – the controller hopes they can move forward and use the guidance provided by the FPPC to avoid any further conflicts in the grant process."

Simpson noted that the CIRM board is riddled with built-in conflicts of interest as the result of the language of Prop. 71, which created the $3 billion research effort.

Simpson said,

"Most of the people handing out the money are the very same people from the institutions that get the money. That means the conflict rules in place must be strictly adhered to and there must be consequences when they are violated.”

Reed wrote his letter seeking to influence the staff on the advice of CIRM Chairman Robert Klein, an attorney who wrote much of Prop. 71. Klein's action triggered calls for his resignation from The Sacramento Bee and Consumer Watchdog.

The Stem Cell Race: Singapore's $370 Million Biopolis

In Singapore, embryonic stem cell research is spelled Biopolis. It is a simple way of saying, We focus intensely on people and laboratories, fast action and strong collaboration.

On Monday, reporter Terri Somers of the San Diego Union-Tribune examined Singapore's embryonic stem cell effort in the second of her three-part series, "The Stem Cell Race."

Here is how Somers described the life of one scientist at Biopolis:

"When she needs a new supply of embryonic stem cells, she phones in an order and walks across the campus of the science center her government has built to pick them up. Although her work is highly regulated, authorities have made obtaining human embryonic stem cells only slightly more difficult than snagging a box of pens from a supply cabinet."

Life seems good in the $370-million, 2.4 million-square-foot biotech research hub. Somers wrote:

"On what used to be grassland, a seven-building cluster of modern, glass-walled structures sprouted in 18 months. Enclosed glass walkways shelter workers from the unrelenting heat and downpours of the tropics, giving the complex the look of giant Habitrail for humans.

"Two more buildings opened in November, creating more space for the nine research institutes and consortiums that fill Biopolis, along with several research and development outposts of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

"There's a storage facility for tens of thousands of mice for use in experiments, a tissue bank and a bioprocessing facility that is making the culture medium in which stem cells will be grown. Eventually it will produce millions of stem cells.

"The government accommodates the workers' long hours with a child-care center, supermarket, hair salon, dry cleaners, bars and even a 7-Eleven convenience store.

"On a typical workday, members of this multinational scientific community can be seen outside enjoying the cooling mist of a fountain, the shade of lush foliage or the convenience of a cafe, as they share ideas over lunch or lattes. They seem oblivious to the Miami-in-August temperatures and humidity."

The Singapore effort has paid off by attracting a host of first-rate scientists as well. Somers reviews the cast that now stars in the Biopolis "theater," ranging from UC San Diego's former medical school dean, Edward Holmes, and his wife, Judith Swain, a cellular cardiologist, to Neal Copeland and Nancy Jenkins, top ESC researchers from the NIH.

Somers' article also indirectly emphasized how tiny and interconnected the ESC research world is. For example, Singapore's efforts are hooked into the California stem cell agency. Somers reported,

"The advisory board to Singapore's Biomedical Research Council reads like a who's who of medical research, including David Baltimore of Caltech and La Jolla-based scientists John Reed of the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, Sydney Brenner of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Richard Lerner of The Scripps Research Institute."

Both Reed and Baltimore also serve as directors of CIRM.

Somers' second piece on Tuesday also reinforced the "small world" portrait of ESC research. She profiled Philip Yeo, chairman of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, or A*Star, the long title of the man who is the mastermind of Biopolis. Somers wrote:

"Yeo called his friend Stuart Weissman, a pioneer in embryonic stem cell research at Stanford, seeking advice on what type of work could be done at Biopolis that would complement efforts in the United States.

"Yeo (then) set about trying to lure – he would say borrow – top researchers to Singapore. Governments jilted by researchers who have found his offers too good to refuse refer to him as a 'serial kidnapper.'"

On Tuesday, Somers will examine California's $3 billion stem cell research effort.

Stem Cell Snippets: Donley, Lomax and Reed

Items of some interest involving California stem cell matters.

Inside a Grant Review Session – Longtime patient advocate Don Reed, on his blog stemcellbattles.com, has a heartfelt look inside a session that reviewed grant applications for spinal research. Reed sits on the review committee. Reed also writes in opposition to more public disclosure in the CIRM grant process.

Whither Donley? -- Beth Donley, the longtime counsel for WARF, has resurfaced in a stem cell start-up. Donley, who served notice last spring that California would have to pay its stem cell dues to WARF, is the CEO of Stemina Biomarker Discovery Inc., which aims to use stem cells to develop tests for diseases. Reporter David Wahlberg of the Wisconsin State Journal has more here.

Nonproliferation -- The California stem cell agency received some attention at a chemical and biological weapons nonproliferation program in Monterey. Geoffrey Lomax, senior officer for medical and ethical standards at CIRM, spoke at the program, and the Monterey Herald covered the talk. The report by Kevin Howe can be found here. Lomax did not blow the dome off the Capitol, so to speak.