NutritionMaryland Stem Cell Research Commission Announces 59 Projects For Funding
The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission (Commission) has completed its evaluation of the 147 applications in response to its three official Requests for Applications (RFAs). The board of directors of the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) reviewed the Commission"s recommendations today and approved 59 projects totaling $18.9 million in funding through the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) under the Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006.
This year"s grant awards went half to the Investigator-Initiated projects and the rest to the Exploratory and Fellowship awards. Awards this year also bring in collaboration from the University of Pennsylvania, The Scripps Research Institute, University of Newcastle, NIH, and cross campus collaboration within Maryland"s public and private research institutions.
"The increased interest in Maryland"s leading stem cell research program is a testament to Maryland"s status as a national leader in the life sciences industry," said Governor Martin O"Malley. "Our stem cell research program has become one of the most highly regarded programs in the country through the work of talented and determined researchers and individuals who believe that stem cells hold the future for medicinal breakthroughs and treatment. I commend the Commission for a job well done and greatly look forward to the advancements that will result from this funding."
This year"s projects recommended for funding include:
- 6 applications for RFA-MD-09-1 (Investigator-Initiated Research Grants) - These grants are designed for investigators with preliminary data supporting the grant application. These grants are up to five years and $300,000 per year.
- 32 applications for RFA-MD-09-2 (Exploratory Research Grants) - These grants are designed for investigators who are new to the stem cell field (new investigators and investigators from other fields), and for new hypotheses, approaches, mechanisms or models that may differ from current thinking in the stem cell field. These grants are for up to two years and $100,000 per year.
- 21 applications for RFA-MD-09-03 (Post-Doctoral Fellowship Research Grants) - These grants are for post-doctoral fellows who wish to conduct basic and/or translational research on all types of human stem cells in Maryland. These grants are for up to two years and $55,000 per year.
For a complete list of the names of the Principal Investigators, the title of each project and the institution at which the Principal Investor works, please visit here.
Grants awarded from the MSCRF are contingent upon the Principal Investigator having obtained all applicable ethical approvals to conduct the research and having signed an agreement with TEDCO setting forth the scope of each project and the requirements for sharing of any new cells lines and publication of results.
"The Commission was very impressed not only by the quantity of applications received this funding cycle, but by the overall quality of submissions for these important research grants said Karen Rothenberg, chair of the Commission. "The ultimate decision regarding which applications showed the most potential, promise and scientific merit was a difficult one and one that was made more complex when faced with the fiscal limitations of the allotted funding. With that said, we are very pleased by the abundance of collaborative research that is going to be performed through these grants and applaud the awardees for their team-based approach to advancing stem cell research in the state of Maryland."
Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission