STEM CELL INSTITUTE’S FACILITIES WORKING GROUP TO CONSIDER CRITERIA FOR GRANTS Briefings from Research Institution Executives on Capital Needs

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Scientific and Medical Facilities Working Group of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) will meet on Monday, October 2, 2006, at 10:00 a.m.

WHAT:       CIRM’s Facilities Working Group will meet to consider draft interim procedures and criteria for evaluating grant applications for renovating shared space laboratories. Shared space laboratories are facilities used by multiple investigators to culture human embryonic stem cells, which can be shared within and between research institutions. CIRM expects to issue a Request for Applications (RFA) for shared facilities proposals later this year, and to review and award grants early in 2007.

In preparation for the solicitation of new large facilities grants, the Working Group will hear presentations on planning, designing, and constructing new biomedical research facilities in California, from executives at three institutions:

  • James Kovach, M.D., J.D., President and COO, Buck Institute on Aging
  • Rebekah Gladson, Associate Vice Chancellor & Campus Architect, UC Irvine
  • Curtis Williams, Vice President, Capital Construction, University of Southern California

WHO:         The 11 members of Facilities Working Group are appointed by the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC), the 29-member governing board for CIRM.

WHEN:        Monday, October 2, 2006
                    10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Estimated)

WHERE:     210 King Street,
                    Third Floor San Francisco,
                    CA 94107

WHY:           The Stem Cell Research and Cures Act (Proposition 71) authorizes CIRM to award up to $300 million in grants for the construction of new biomedical research facilities in California, out of $3 billion available to support stem cell research in the state. CIRM has already awarded $12.1 million to 16 non-profit institutions to train 169 stem cell researchers, and is currently soliciting applications for more than $100 million in stem cell research grants. The Institute is preparing to solicit and award its first grants for facilities, which are expected to be funded in early 2007

 

CIRM Contact: Dale A. Carlson
  (415) 396-9117