CIRM Directors Approve $27 Million Training Effort at State and Community Colleges

Directors of the California stem cell agency this afternoon approved a $27 million extension of a training program at California state and community colleges. CIRM staff said the program supports 160 trainees a year at 16 institutions. The extension will cover a three year period. The vote was 7-0.. Nineteen of the 29 CIRM directors were not able to vote or participate in discussion of the proposal because of conflicts of interest.

$47 Million Training Extension Approved

On a 6-0 vote, directors of the California stem cell agency this afternoon approved a $47 million extension of a scientific training program at the state's universities and research institutions.  Only seven members present at the meeting were eligible to vote on the matter. The board has 29 members. The others were disqualified because of conflicts of interest.

CIRM Identifies Training Grant Recipients

The California stem cell agency has identified the recipients of the $10.8 million in training grants. They include: The Buck Institute, USC, California State University campuses at Fullerton, Northridge and San Bernardino and city colleges in Berkeley and San Francisco. Here is a link to the CIRM news release.

CIRM Pumps More Millions Into Training

Directors of the California stem cell agency today added $10.8 million to its training efforts at California colleges and universities, a welcome change for the institutions that have been reeling under brutal cuts because of the state's financial situation.

Earlier this year, the directors declined to fund the seven programs because of CIRM's then precarious financial situation. However, the agency now has funds through June 2011.

Scientific reviewers earlier concluded that the seven applications should be approved if cash were available, a decision that CIRM directors this morning accepted without dissent.

Duane Roth, a San Diego businessman and co-vice chairman of CIRM, however, said the $50,000 per student cost in the overall Bridges program was high and asked for a more detailed report later. Given the size of the schools involved, he said the number of students involved (about 100) was quite small.

CIRM staff said that not all the money goes to the students. The institutions take a cut for "indirect costs." Additional funds are also used elsewhere rather than going directly to students.

CIRM has not yet identified the specific institutions that will receive the funds. But here are the number of the grant applications: Training program II, TG2-01155, TG2-01161; Bridges program, TB1-01181 70, TB1-01185 70, TB1-01183 68, TB1-01197 65, TB1-01188.

Summaries by number of the grant reviews for Training II can be found here.

Summaries for the Bridges grant reviews can be found here.

CIRM is expected to issue a news release later today with the names and more details.

CIRM Training Programs Receive a $41 Million Boost

SAN DIEGO -- The board of California stem cell agency tonight pumped $41 million into 15 California institutions to support training programs for stem cell researchers.

The grants were approved last January, but the board deferred funding because of CIRM's financial woes. Those problems have now been eased for the next 18 months. However, the funding decision will add $9 million to CIRM grant outflows for the coming fiscal year.

The 29-member board voted 6-0 to go ahead with funding. Only six of the members in attendance were able to vote or even participate in discussion because of conflicts of interest.

The CIRM staff made a strong case for funding the program beginning July 1. The CIRM board was told that the 221 trainees already in training programs have accounted for two-thirds of the published research papers linked to CIRM funding.

Art Torres, vice chair of the CIRM board and a former state legislator, said that letters would be sent to all 120 state lawmakers, pointing out the benefit of the training programs in their districts. The funding comes as state legislators are trying to make up a mammoth $24 billion state budget deficit.

The training program was the first grant round approved by CIRM in 2005. The names of the insitutions can be found here.

$41 Million in Stem Cell Training Grants Look Good for CIRM Funding

The California stem cell agency today posted more information about what its board plans to do at its meeting next Tuesday, including what is close to a staff recommendation that $41 million be pumped into training programs at 15 institutions.

The training grants were approved earlier this year, but funding deferred because of CIRM's financial woes. But now that cash is available, CIRM staff urged the board to “seriously consider the resumption of funding” at the earliest possible date.

The memo supporting the move said that researchers need the trainees to continue support of research projects.

The memo said the previous training program, the first grants funded by CIRM, was well-regarded. The staff said,

“CIRM Scholars (trainees) conducted stem cell research in 219 distinct laboratories and produced 221 publications, many in high impact journals.

“Upon completing training, individual CIRM Scholars have moved on to faculty positions at top universities, to scientific positions in biotechnology/pharmaceutical companies, or to further training at laboratories of leading stem cell scientists. Many physician CIRM Scholars are now also practicing medicine with a strong knowledge base of stem cell science. Outstanding examples of CIRM Scholar achievements include: research leading to the founding of a biotechnology company and the research leading to a Phase 1 clinical trial.

“In addition to trainee success, the program has served as a focal point for stem cell research at each of the training institutions and produced an attractive stem cell research environment that has contributed to the recruitment of new faculty as well as top trainees. The research conducted by trainees has spanned the spectrum from basic to preclinical research and, importantly, has accelerated research through synergy with other CIRM funded projects.”

Also posted was a three-page justification for continuing the longstanding contract with Remcho, Johansen & Purcell of San Leandro, Ca., as outside counsel to CIRM at $450,000 a year. James Harrison, an attorney with that firm, has been Remcho's visible and unflappable representative on CIRM matters since 2005.

Remcho charges CIRM $350 an hour for work by Harrison, which the CIRM memo said “is significantly lower than the market rates for firms with similar expertise.” Work done by others at the firm is charged at lesser rates. If Remcho billed $450,000 at the $350 rate, it would amount to about six months of full-time work.

Also on tap next week is a do-over on motions for CIRM support of industry-backed legislation aimed at protecting biotech patents against development of generic biotech therapies. Now available on the CIRM Web site is a memo that summarizes the latest developments in Congress and the White House.

An updated version of the CIRM conflict of interest code is also available and has been placed on the consent calendar as a non-controversial item. Removed from the agenda are the consolidated IP regulations, which are to be considered at a later date. No reason was given for delaying the item.

Still missing are guidelines for a change in board voting procedures that could enhance the powers of the board chairman and information about the leadership and some of the membership of the directors subcommittee that will evaluate Chairman Bob Klein, the two vice chairs and CIRM President Alan Trounson.

A Research Perspective From a CIRM Scholar

The following article was sent to the California Stem Cell Report by Brigitte Angenieux, 32, a postdoctoral fellow at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She studies stem cells and brain tumors and is sponsored by a training grant from the California stem cell agency.

Angenieux's work involves the characterization of the biology of brain tumors to develop better and more efficient treatments. Her project consists of elucidating the genes that are important for the formation, the progression and the mechanism of drug-resistance of brain tumors. She also is interested in determining the relationship between neural stem cells and cancer cells.

She received her Ph.D. from the University of Lausanne, performing research involving retinal stem cells. She came to the United States in 2001. In addition to her research at UCLA, she enrolled in a journalism certificate program through UCLA Extension.

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HOPE AND DISILLUSION

By Brigitte Angenieux

LOS ANGELES -- Nick Orozco, 26, a young researcher, works at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), one of the top 20 international universities. Orozco looks at his cell culture dish with a big smile. His experiment worked after three weeks, a small victory, but he has to redo the experiment three more times. This will take another month or so. His daily routine is a battle between hope and disillusion. Nevertheless he faces this reality with steely resolve because that’s the journey a stem cell researcher endures.

“There is a lot of hope in stem cell research, but I don’t think we understand everything. It takes a lot of time, more than what people are often willing to accept,” said Orozco.

Stem cell research makes headlines almost everyday. Doctors go on TV to explain the great potential of this new treatment. President Obama lifted the ban on federally sponsored stem cell research imposed by President Bush because of personal beliefs and ethical issues in the use of embryonic stem cells for research.

Hollywood stars haven’t shied away from the subject either. Michael J. Fox is a big advocate of stem cell research and its use to treat Parkinson’s disease, which he suffers. Recently, some news agencies have reported that the actress Farrah Fawcett, of the TV show "Charlie’s Angels," traveled to Germany to undergo a treatment to fight the spread of intestinal cancer. On April 6, the Fox News website mentioned Fawcett’s stem cell therapy even though it has been denied by the Fawcett's representatives.

Despite regular reports of breakthrough findings, this cutting edge treatment is still complex and obscure. Where are the cures researchers promised the public? Cancer is still not eradicated from the earth. Alzheimer’s patients are still struggling.

Science is not a straight-forward path, experts say. It requires time and multiple trials. There is no set time for each phase of drug development, but industry representatives commonly say it takes about two to eight years to carry an idea from the laboratory to FDA approval for a marketable drug.

“I think it’s a learning process, a trial and error effort,” said Orozco, who did his undergraduate degree at UCLA in the neurosciences and just applied to a medical school program starting in July. “This needs to be worked out before clinical trials.”

A recent case demonstrated that stem cell research should be applied with caution. An Israeli child suffering from a brain degenerative disease went to Russia for stem cell transplantation therapy. Now, several years after the transplantation, the child has developed cancer.

Dr. Meeyro Choe, 32, a pediatric fellow, took the opposite path of Orozco. She worked in a laboratory for two years between college and medical school. After medical school she took a fellowship and decided to give research another try because she “missed basic research.” She’s working at UCLA in a laboratory doing research on stem cells and cancer. As a doctor she is confronted with a dilemma: treating and answering her patient’s needs for a cure but not at the expense of their safety.

Clinical trials take an average of ten years, according to scientists. They involve three different phases, each testing a specific hypothesis. In phase I, researchers test an experimental drug or treatment for the first time to evaluate the toxicity. In phase II, the drug or treatment is given to a larger group (100 to 300 persons) to evaluate the efficiency. In phase III, the drug or treatment is given to a larger group (1,000 to 3,000 persons) to confirm its effectiveness. Then the drug or the treatment is available to the general public.

“Currently, nine out of 10 experimental drugs fail in clinical trial studies because researchers using lab and animal studies cannot predict how they will behave in people,” said Steve Peckman, associate director of The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA.

Although the research is time-consuming and complex, it remains intrinsic to the future of medicine as well as the aspirations of such physician-researchers as Meeyro Choe.

“With medicine you can treat hundreds of patients, maybe, but with research you can help many more,” said Choe.

Stanford Reports on CIRM Finances

Stanford carried a bit of a news piece today on the California stem cell agency and its financial woes.

The headline was "State stem cell institute slows its pace of funding."

Written for the Stanford News Service by Krista Conger, the article said CIRM is deferring funding on 15 training grants, including one to Stanford. Conger reported,

"The delay will give the institute the breathing room necessary to do a private placement of bonds in an effort to shore up its financial situation."

She continued,

"'It's disappointing to hear that our funding will be delayed,' said Michael Longaker, MD, deputy director of Stanford's Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Institute and principal investigator of the CIRM-approved grant. 'However, we certainly understand that these are difficult economic times.'"

The article also touched on another round of training grants that was approved and briefly described the current financial plight of the stem cell agency.

The article seemed a bit unusual to us. Normally, in-house enterprises such as the Stanford News Service are oriented towards PR, touting the winning of grants – not their absence. However, the piece could be an outgrowth of the hard times in the traditional media, which is virtually ignoring the stem cell agency. We may see PR practitioners stepping into that information void -- one that stretches well beyond stem cell news -- to fill the gap left by the decline of newspapers. Certainly the Stanford community cannot rely on the mainstream media to report all the news that could have an impact on that university.

CIRM Gives Go-Ahead on $17.5 Million Training Program, Funding Deferred on $41 Million Round

This item is part of the continuing coverage today of the board meeting of the California stem cell agency based on its audiocast.

Directors of the financially troubled California stem cell agency today approved funding for $17.5 million in training grants for the state's community and state colleges, but delayed funding for 12 months a more advanced, $41 million training effort.

The vote followed recommendations from CIRM staff that reflected the fact that the agency will run out of cash this fall unless it can privately market state bonds, which are virtually its only source of funding.

The two rounds of training grants were approved in January but the board deferred decisions on payment timing until it had a better grasp of the agency's financial situation. The board stipulated that recipients in the $41 million round could go ahead with their programs this year and could be reimbursed later.

The motion to fund the community/state college grants was approved 9-0 and the training grants received a 8-2 go-ahead. Twenty-nine persons sit on the CIRM board, but most of them could not vote on the grants because of conflicts of interest. The conflicts also barred them taking part in the discussion.

The staff recommendation for funding the $17.5 million program was justified because the schools do not have access to other funding. Timing is also critical since the programs need to be set up soon so they are ready for the next school year.

Rollins Richmond(see photo), president of Humboldt State University, told the board,

"To back away now would place CIRM and this whole program in question."

Board members expressed confusion during the discussion of the funding issues concerning what grantees were being told about the status of funding from CIRM. CIRM President Alan Trounson said that grantees are being informed that their cash is "subject to funds being available." CIRM Chairman Robert Klein summarized the agency's position by saying, "This is a contract. The question is timing."

Klein has repeatedly emphasized that the grants are legally enforceable contracts.

State Colleges Win CIRM Grants

The California stem cell agency this afternoon said that the 26 training grants "tentatively" approved today totaled $58 million and included 11 aimed at undergraduates and masters level students and 15 targeting young scientists.

It was the first time that California state colleges managed to snag some of CIRM's $3 billion. One two-year community college also won approval. However, all will have to wait for later action actually freeing funds for their programs. The delay in funding prompted CIRM to call the board action "tentative" in its press release. Decisions on funding could come either in this spring, depending on the nature of the financial news for CIRM.

It was the second time in CIRM's brief life that it has approved grants without actually setting the funding in motion. In its first round of grants in 2005, also training programs, the board did not have the cash to fund the grants because of litigation. However, it wanted to send a message that it was in business and intended to move forward. By and large, that message was successful.

It is likely that today's action will also be reasonably successful in communicating the same message. The news release did not dwell on the hours that the board spent discussing what some board members called a financial crisis. The main reference in the news release to CIRM's financial plight was this paragraph:

"In light of the current financial situation in California, the board meeting began with a discussion of funding scenarios through 2010. At this time CIRM can fund all existing commitments through September of 2009."

CIRM is likely to review its financial condition again at board meetings in March and April.

You can find a list of grant winners and the size of their grants here.

CIRM Training Grants Approved

The California stem cell agency today approved tens of million of dollars in training grants for young stem cell scientists but deferred a decision on actually funding the efforts.

Approved were all the grants that the Grants Working Group said should be funded in the Training Grants II round. You can find the list here. CIRM is expected to issue a release later today identifying the winners.