Chancellor Birgeneau named to Prop. 71 stem cell oversight committee

Proposition 71, approved this November, created a California Institute for Regenerative Medicine that will distribute $300 million dollars a year in grants and will be overseen by an Independent Citizen's Oversight Committee made up of 29 people. Newscenter has an article announcing Chancellor Robert Birgenau was appointed by Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante as one of these 29 people at a press conference today. Birgenau has pledged to be impartial saying he "will ensure that the money is well and ethically spent." Critics of the bill (like BCR) will be quick to point out that with an appointment like the channcelor of UC Berkeley, it will be hard for the committee to be independent, as the University has a vested interest in stem cell research funding.

Meanwhile, professors here at Berkeley have been hard at work with stem cells. The same Newscenter article mentioned how Professor Kevin Healy is developing a new medium for growing stem cells that is less susceptible to contamination. Also, Professor David Schaffer has been working with making adult stem cells far more effective. Using a protein called Sonic Hedgehog, nervous system cells multiplied far faster than normal. Both the Daily Cal and the Contra Costa Times recently had articles on the protein. With a possible research grant from the state, a grant to expand minority outreach for biology students (see Calstuff post), and the new Stanley Hall in summer 2005 (see Daily Cal article), expect to see more and more of these breakthroughs in the coming years.Email This Post!