Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund – MDBIZNews

By Nick Sohr, Managing Editor, MDBIZNews

Maryland approved state funding for 40 researchers studying human stem cells and their applications in treating a wide range of diseases and other medical conditions.

The awards, approved Thursday by the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, will be paid from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Funds $12.4 million budget for fiscal 2012.

The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission recommended the 40 winners after whittling down the list of 179 applicants seeking funding through the program.

These projects address a diverse array of debilitating and costly diseases and conditions, some of which are traditionally underfunded, said Margaret Conn Himelfarb, chairwoman of the commission. Marylands investment in cutting-edge stem cell research continues to advance the field and strengthens our states national leadership position in the life sciences.

This year, the commission focused on regenerative medicine proposals, selecting research that targets sickle cell anemia, schizophrenia, type 1 diabetes, nerve injury, Parkinsons disease, Crohns disease, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, osteoarthritis, and Lou Gehrigs disease, among others.

The commission will also fund a Maryland researcher working with counterparts funded by California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. They are studying stem cell differentiation and bone repair.

See the full list of recipients here.

All but two are academics and most come from Johns Hopkins University. Researchers from University of Maryland, Baltimore and University of Maryland, College Park also received funding.

Nine received investigator-initiated research grants worth up to $600,000 over three years to further work that has turned up preliminary data that support their hypotheses.

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Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund - MDBIZNews