The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) CIRM has approved $21.3 million to create a network of Shared Resources Laboratories for stem‑cell‑based modeling.
These laboratories are a key part of CIRM’s Infrastructure Program, which aims to address challenges that slow progress in regenerative medicine.
The approved awards
| Application | Program Title | Program Director – Institution | Amount |
| INFR6.1-15357 | Stem Cell-based Disease Modeling Shared Resource Laboratory | Carlesso, Nadia – City of Hope | $5,400,000 |
| INFR6.2-15383 | A modular automation approach to stem cell modeling to increase throughput, reproducibility and access | Plath, Kathrin – UCLA | $3,999,999 |
| INFR6.2-15368 | Shared Resources Laboratories to Enhance In Vitro Stem Cell Modeling and Training | Walsh, Craig – UC Irvine | $4,000,000 |
| INFR6.2-15527 | A Center for Stem Cell Disease Modeling and Therapeutics | Conklin, Bruce – Gladstone Institutes | $4,000,000 |
| INFR6.2-15400 | 0 CIRM ASCEND Center – Advancing Stem Cell Education and Novel Discoveries | Lindstrom, Nils – USC | $3,946,795 |
Other awards
The CIRM Board also recommended that 11 applicants revise and resubmit their proposals for funding.
The goal of the SRLs is to foster collaboration among California researchers, break down silos, and provide students and scientists with access to top‑tier resources and training in stem‑cell‑based disease modeling. These models include cell types from the brain, cardiovascular system, and other organs and will help identify therapies, biomarkers, and drug candidates.
The SRL network will also support state‑of‑the‑art technologies, including CRISPR, omics analyses, and automated workflows.
In 2007, CIRM awarded more than $50 million to build shared labs at 17 institutions dedicated to human embryonic stem cell research. At that time, federal policy barred hESC work in labs built with federal funds.
“By investing in shared resources laboratories, we are providing essential infrastructure and placing California at the forefront of transformative research,” said Dr. Rosa Canet‑Avilés, VP of Scientific Programs and Education at CIRM. “These new awards show the progress in stem cell science and help drive advanced disease modeling using human stem cells.”