International team submits IND application

On 18 June 2013, there was an announcement at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto. There was also a post on the California stem cell agency blog entitled: Clinical trial to thwart cancer stem cells may begin soon. An excerpt from the post:

The Prince Margaret Center announced the FDA filing, called an Investigational New Drug application (IND), at an event in Toronto recognizing the private donors. A press release about the announcement was picked up at this biotech news site.

The Principal Investigators present for the announcement were Dr. Tak Mak of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Dr. Dennis Slamon of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). What they have done is summarized in another excerpt from the blog post:

By working first to understand the various proteins that drive cells to divide, particularly in cancer, they were able to pinpoint an enzyme, that if blocked, could be the key to keeping cancer in check. They then discovered that this enzyme, called PLK4, can be derailed by a new drug they developed. In the lab, it has been shown to inhibit the growth of breast, ovarian, colorectal, lung, pancreatic and prostate cancer, as well as melanoma.

Information about the human PLK4 protein is available here.

Some background: In June 2008, it was announced that a partnership had been formed between Canada’s Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC) and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) for international collaboration to advance cancer stem cell research. An excerpt from the CSCC's announcement:

It is proposed that one of the first initiatives to be launched by the CSCC will be a collaboration between Canadian and Californian scientists through CIRM's upcoming Disease Team Research Awards Competition, which will support multi-disciplinary teams of scientists in pursuit of therapies for specific diseases.The goal is to fund teams that will develop therapy or diagnostics for a particular disease or serious injury.Successful proposals will likely include a description of a path to an Investigational New Drug filing at the end of the four-to-five year grant.

Note the intent to file an IND by the end of the term of the grant.

The results of the Disease Team Research Awards Competition were announced on October 28, 2009. The award to Drs. Slamon and Mak is Grant number DR1-01477. See: Therapeutic Opportunities to Target Tumor Initiating Cells in Solid Tumors. As was stated in a page about Cancer Stem Cells on the website of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), this award was to one of two multi-disciplinary research teams co-led by Canadian and Californian scientists. The other team is co-led by Dr. John Dick of the University Health Network and Dr. Dennis Carson of the University of California, San Diego. My blog post (October 29, 2009) about the awards is entitled: Disease Team awards announced. The post ends with this Disclosure:

I'm a member of the Board of the CSCC, but also a staff member (emeritus) at the University Health Network. So, I was in conflict of interest, and was absent during all of the discussions, by the CSCC Board, about which Canadian applications should be considered for the Disease Team awards.

Partnership Pays Off

Northern Exposure by Emmet Pierce, San Diego Business Journal, August 16, 2010. Excerpt:

An example of San Diegans collaborating with Canadians is the work that has taken place at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center in cooperation with research at the University of Toronto. The partnership has enabled San Diego researchers to acquire a $20 million grant to develop drugs to be used against leukemia stem cells, Barr says.Dr. Catriona Jamieson, director of the stem cell research program at the Moores center, said scientists from Toronto and San Diego share "a deep and abiding interest in cancer stem cell biology." The Canadian consulate in San Diego was instrumental in helping to create a relationship in which both institutions would benefit, sharing information and applying for funds to support their research.

"The idea was to establish a Canada-California cancer stem cell initiative and obtain connections with Canadian funding agencies, particularly Genome Canada and the Ministry of Health," she said.

Jamieson added, "The most important thing is it allows people with disparate abilities and backgrounds to work together on the same problem."

Barr said the University of Toronto also was able to secure a $20 million research grant because of the collaboration, "so the team is greater than the sum of its parts."

CIRM and Wisconsin sign a Declaration of Cooperation

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and California’s State Stem Cell Agency Sign Declaration Of Cooperation to Advance Stem Cell Research toward Cures, News release, California Institute For Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), June 17, 2010. Excerpts:

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and the state of Wisconsin, coordinated through and led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, expect to identify opportunities to further the advancement, promotion and funding of stem cell research and the development of stem cell therapies.

.....

CIRM currently has similar agreements with the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium of Canada, the State of Victoria in Australia, the JST in Japan, the MICINN in Spain, the MRC in the United Kingdom, the BMBF in Germany, MOST in China and the state of Maryland, and the New York Stem Cell Foundation.

Disease Team awards announced

Novel funding mechanism speeds the path of research, News Release, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), October 28, 2009. Excerpt:

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the state stem cell agency, and two international partners awarded more than $250 million to 14 multidisciplinary teams of researchers in California, the UK and Canada to develop stem cell-based therapies for 11 diseases. The Disease Team Research Awards include approximately $8 million from the Medical Research Council, UK, and approximately $35 million from the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium, Canada, to fund the international portions of the collaborations.

See also:

• Two Research Teams Funded through the Innovative Partnership Program Between Canada and California to Advance Cancer Stem Cell Research, News Release, Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC), October 28, 2009. Excerpts:
  

  The Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC) is pleased to announce that two multi-disciplinary research teams co-led by Canadian and Californian scientists have been awarded funding through a Collaborative Partnership Program with The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). The program supports research that will result in a cancer stem cell based therapy with the specific aim of improving cancer treatment.

  .....

  The first project is led by Dr. John Dick, University Health Network and Dr. Dennis Carson, University of California, San Diego. Their research will focus on the development of novel drugs to treat leukemia, which will address a compelling medical need as half of adults diagnosed with leukemia die of the disease. Substantial evidence supports the concept that recurrence and persistence of many leukemias stem from the relative resistance of leukemic stem cells (LSCs) to treatments currently in use, so the development of drugs that preferentially target LSCs may be particularly valuable in attacking both lymphoid and myeloid malignancies.

  The goal of the second project is to utilize a pipeline strategy to develop novel drugs targeting cancer-initiating cells in solid tumor cancers. This project is led by Dr. Tak Mak, University Health Network and Dr. Dennis Slamon, UCLA. The reviewers of this application determined that the proposed drugs would provide a significant clinical benefit to cancer patients and recognized the unique capabilities of the assembled team to successfully identify and develop new drugs.

  
  
• New Canadian-Californian investment in stem cell research aims to improve cancer treatments by Michael Rudnicki, Stem Cell Network Blog, October 28, 2009. First paragraph:
  

  I am excited to learn of today’s announcement that two large-scale projects to tackle stem cell therapies for cancer are to be funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC). This is most welcome news, not only because it demonstrates a continued investment in stem cell science but because both projects have a critical Canadian component – both projects will be co-led by Canadian investigators.

Comment: Instead of the eleven likely winners of Disease Team awards, 14 awards were announced. See the list of "Approved Disease Team projects" that's included in CIRM's news release. This list can be compared with the listing of all applications reviewed under RFA 09-01, posted previously by CIRM. The 3 additional awards (to bring the total to 14) were to application numbers DR1-01480, DR1-01485 and DR1-01421.

Disclosure: I'm a member of the Board of the CSCC, but also a staff member (emeritus) at the University Health Network. So, I was in conflict of interest, and was absent during all of the discussions, by the CSCC Board, about which Canadian applications should be considered for the Disease Team awards.

Eleven likely winners of Disease Team awards

Results will soon be announced for the Disease Team Research Awards Competition of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). These awards will support multi-disciplinary teams of scientists in pursuit of therapies for specific diseases. See: The Lucky 11 and $167 Million in Stem Cell Research Cash, David Jensen, California Stem Cell Report, October 23, 2009. First two paragraphs:

The California stem cell agency has pinpointed 11 likely winners of grants and loans up to $20 million each in the agency's ambitious disease team round, which was once projected at $210 million.

The awards are scheduled to be formally approved next week by the CIRM board of directors at a two-day meeting in Los Angeles at the Luxe Hotel. CIRM's Grants Working Group decided earlier that 11 proposals merited funding. The CIRM board almost never rejects a recommendation for funding by its reviewers.

Comment: Participation in the Disease Team Research Awards program is the first initiative launched by the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC), in collaboration with CIRM. This is an international collaboration to advance cancer stem cell research, involving both Canadian and Californian scientists. See this previous post: CIRM/CSCC Joint Announcement: Disease Teams Awards, October 23, 2008.

IP rules for CIRM disease team project delayed

Prop. 71 Minutia Stalls CIRM Again, David Jensen, California Stem Cell Report, September 16, 2009. First two paragraphs:

The board of directors of the California stem cell agency Tuesday failed to achieve a quorum and was forced to put off action on regulations tied to its ambitious, $210 million disease team grant round, the largest ever in CIRM history.

That means it will be at least another two weeks or more before the board can act on the IP rules that it needs for disease team project. The grants are scheduled to be awarded later this year

Comment: To see previous posts in this blog about the Disease Teams Awards, see posts with the tag "Disease Teams".

Chief Scientific Officer leaving CIRM

Chief Scientific Officer Leaving California Institute of Regenerative Medicine by Monya Baker, The Niche, June 25, 2009. Excerpt:

Marie Csete will resign her post from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine as of Aug 1st, according to the California Stem Cell Report, Consumer Watchdog and the Silicon Valley Business Journal. The resignation comes just before a huge round of grants aiming to push stem cells toward clinical trials is due to be awarded.

From the Silicon Valley Business Journal: State stem cell agency’s science officer to resign by Ron Leuty, June 24, 2009. Excerpt:

Csete has been an important part of CIRM’s effort to not only review and award grants but, highlighted most recently, to monitor grants after awards have been made. CIRM terminated three research grants this month due to lack of progress.

From the California Stem cell Report: Csete Quits CIRM on Eve of Huge Grant Round by David Jensen, June 24, 2009. Excerpt:

Csete's departure comes as the agency is about to embark on its most ambitious and largest round of research grants – a complex, $210 million “disease team” effort aimed at pushing research towards clinical trials.

Article in the San Francisco News

Stem-cell stalemate: The push for cures may produce only disappointment - or worse, Peter Jamison, San Francisco News, April 14, 2009. Excerpt from page 5:

And CIRM's 2009 funding priorities speak volumes about the direction of its decision-making. In its first two years of operating — legal challenges kept CIRM from starting its operations until 2007, setting back its sunset date to 2017 — the agency has distributed more than $600 million in grants for basic science and facilities. By contrast, the next round of grants will devote more than $200 million to disease teams; the goal for these teams is to prepare therapies for FDA clinical trials within four years. As little as $20 million will go to basic research.

Found via: The California Stem Cell Story: Safety, Waste and Promises, David Jensen, California Stem Cell Report, April 15, 2009.

On a shift in focus for CIRM

CIRM Close-Hauled, Seeks Bonds to Sustain Headway by Constance Holden, Science 2009(Mar 27); 323(5922): 1660-1 [PubMed Citation]. Excerpt:

A $210 million, 4-year program of "disease team grants," to be awarded this year, is the centerpiece of this thrust [toward support for translational research]. The program will entail perhaps 10 large grants to teams combining academic and industrial researchers working on a specific stem cell product for, say, Parkinson's disease. .....

Found via: Science Magazine on the State of CIRM, David Jensen, California Stem cell Report, March 27, 2009.

CIRM Funding Priorities

Clinic vs. Basic Research: CIRM Funding Priorities, David Jensen, California Stem Cell Report, March 12, 2009. Excerpt:

Director Jeff Sheehy, a communications officer at UC San Francisco and a patient advocate representative, said the disease team project is already a year behind schedule. He said,

"We do not want to hamstring the disease team."

Requests for preliminary applications in that round have already gone out. It is scheduled to be awarded in September or October.

The goal set by the board of directors is just that. ...

CIRM RFA 09-01 Disease Team Research Award Amendment

Copy of email from: CIRM RFA News (cirm_rfa_news@listserv.cahwnet.gov)
Received: March 11, 2009
Subject: CIRM RFA 09-01 Disease Team Research Award Amendment and FAQ

Colleagues:

For organizations interested in responding to RFA 09-01, CIRM Disease Team Research Awards, the following announcement is being forwarded to interested parties.

This email is to inform you that the Disease Team Research Award RFA 09-01 was amended and posted on 3/11/09. Specifically, Section III (Award Information) has been amended to clarify that $3 million to $20 million per project is the range for total funds requested (includes direct project costs, direct facilities costs, and indirect costs). The amended RFA 09-01 can be found at http://www.cirm.ca.gov/RFA/rfa_09-01/default.asp <http://www.cirm.ca.gov/RFA/rfa_09-01/default.asp> .

CIRM has prepared a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document regarding the CIRM Loan Program for Disease Team Research Awards, RFA 09-01 (available at http://www.cirm.ca.gov/RFA/rfa_09-01/default.asp <http://www.cirm.ca.gov/RFA/rfa_09-01/default.asp>). We have tried to address your questions and concerns, but would appreciate it if you would contact Dr. Gil Sambrano if you have any additional questions. Dr. Sambrano can be reached at 415-396-9103 or by email at gsambrano@cirm.ca.gov <mailto:gsambrano@cirm.ca.gov>.

More on financial outlook for CIRM

CIRM Touts Its Financial Outlook by David Jensen, California Stem Cell Report, February 17, 2009. Excerpts:

CIRM has officially but quietly announced that it hopes to raise $400 million through 2010 by selling California state bonds privately, a task never before achieved in state history.

The information on the private placement goal was posted Friday on the CIRM web site with virtually no notice or fanfare. ...

.....

While the agency is now about seven months away from running out of cash, the Friday item has a positive headline, "CIRM's Financial Commitments Are Secure." The language is tailored to reassure grant applicants, especially those applying for the $210 million disease team RFA that was also posted on Friday.

[For information about the Disease Team RFA, see this previous post: CSCC and CIRM announce a Collaborative Funding Partner Program, February 15, 2009].

CSCC and CIRM announce a Collaborative Funding Partner Program

Collaborative Funding Partner Program announced by The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine and the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium, CSCC News & Media, February 13, 2009. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/5ebckolB9). Excerpt:

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is pleased to announce a Collaborative Funding Partner Program with Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC) through CIRM's RFA 09-01 Disease Team Research Award. The purpose of this initiative is to support the research of multi-disciplinary teams of scientists, co-led by Canadian and Californian Principal Investigators that will result in a cancer stem cell based therapy or a therapy derived from cancer stem cell assays with the specific aim of improving cancer treatment.

For details of the CIRM Disease Team Research Award RFA 09-01 please go to (http://www.cirm.ca.gov/RFA/rfa_09-01/default.asp).

French version available in PDF format.

Under this RFA 09-01, the CSCC intends to commit up to CDN$40 million to support the Canadian component of up to two (2) projects funded through the Collaborative Funding Partner Program. Projects will be funded for up to four (4) years, with justifiable total Canadian project costs of up to CDN$20 million per project, conditional upon CIRM funding up to US$20 million per project to support the Californian component.

Teams of Canadian and Californian scientists submitting applications to CIRM's Disease Team Research Award RFA through the Collaborative Funding Partner Program must complete both the CIRM requirements and any additional requirements put forth by the CSCC.

This collaborative initiative with CIRM is the first opportunity for funding available to Canadian scientists through the CSCC. As the CSCC develops its research program it is guided by the CSCC Scientific Strategic Plan. The Canadian scientific community will be kept informed of additional opportunities for funding as they are developed.

For details of the CIRM Disease Team Research Award RFA 09-01 please go to (http://www.cirm.ca.gov/RFA/rfa_09-01/default.asp).

NOTE: Participation in this RFA is NOT limited to scientists who registered with the CSCC their intent to submit an application to the Disease Team Research Awards Competition.

For information about the CSCC-CIRM Collaborative Funding Partner Program contact:

Cindy L. Bell, Ph.D.
Interim Executive Director, CSCC
Email: cscc@genomecanada.ca
Phone: (613) 751-4460 ext 118

(RFA 09-01: CIRM Disease Team Research Awards archived in PDF format by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/5ebdf0wi0).

(French version of news release archived in PDF format by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/5ebeFwit5).

Dark financial outlook for CIRM

Dark Financial Outlook for CIRM Disclosed Tonight by David Jensen, California Stem Cell Report, January 29, 2009. Excerpts:

The financial condition of California's $3 billion stem cell agency tonight appeared bleak and "daunting," based on briefings provided to its 29-member board of directors.

.....

CIRM's financial plight is the result of California's inability to sell state bonds because of the state's $40 billion budget crisis. CIRM relies on bond sales for funding. It has approved $635 million in grants, many covering several years, but currently does not have the cash to fund all of them.

.....

The briefings disclosed that even if the state budget crisis were solved tomorrow, CIRM would face financial difficulties. That's because it takes time to bring bonds to market. Bonds supporting more critical needs would be sold well before the state would consider offering the CIRM bonds.

Criteria for review of pre-applications to CIRM

Pre-Application Review Process for Basic Biology RFA, CIRM, Agenda Item # 4, ICOC Teleconference Meeting, December 23, 2008 [PDF]. Excerpts:

The ICOC, at its most recent meeting, considered a proposal from CIRM staff to introduce a pre-application review process, on a trial basis, for use in the upcoming Basic Biology I & II and Disease Team RFAs.

.....

Proposal: Criteria for Review of Pre-Applications

Pre-application review will focus on the essential aspects of the scientific proposal, without requiring Principal Investigators (PIs) to finalize or describe detailed research plans, budgets, collaborations or personnel. This review will consider a subset of the standard GWG criteria, tailored to the level of information we will seek in the preapplication:

1. Impact and Significance. Whether and to what extent the proposed research: addresses an important problem; significantly moves the field forward, either scientifically or medically; moves the research closer to therapy; and changes the thinking or experimental or medical practice in the field.

2. Innovation. Whether and to what extent the research approach is original, breaks new ground, and brings novel ideas, technologies or strategies to bear on an important problem.

3. Feasibility. Whether and to what extent the aims of the research can be reasonably achieved in the specified timeframe of the award.

4. Responsiveness to RFA. Whether and to what extent the proposed research project or activity adequately and appropriately addresses the goals and objectives presented in the RFA.

CIRM science staff and outside scientific specialists will apply these standard criteria. As with the criteria for GWG review of full applications, science officers will prepare guidelines that describe how these criteria apply to the concept for a specific RFA. These guidelines will be published as part of the RFA, so that PIs can address them in their preapplications.

Note that these criteria will be applied to the Disease Team RFAs.

See also: Stem cell board fails to muster quorum, skips cash request, John M Simpson, Consumer Watchdog, December 24, 2008. Excerpt:

The stem cell agency's staff had to report on the criteria they'll use in the pre-review process. They did and it's outlined here.

For a relevant previous post, see: CIRM/CSCC Joint Announcement: Disease Teams Awards, Cancer Stem Cell News, October 23, 2008.

News release from CIRM

CIRM announces Tools and Technologies Grants to remove obstacles on the path to therapies. News Release, December 10, 2008 [PDF]. Excerpt:

Other ICOC Business

The board approved concepts for two upcoming grant programs. One was the Disease Team Awards, which are intended to accommodate the transition of basic stem cell biology into therapies. The multi-disciplinary teams are expected to initiate human clinical trials for a stem cell therapy within four years of receiving the award. This is a dramatically compressed timeline compared to the ten or more years that this process can normally take. The RFA for this award will be available in February. The board also approved the concept for the Basic Biology initiative, which is intended to drive innovation toward new therapy discoveries and to provide a strong research portfolio in basic stem cell biology. The RFA for this award is expected to be available later in December.

“These upcoming RFAs show the breadth of CIRM’s commitment to advancing basic research to the clinic,” said Trounson. “The Basic Biology Awards will ensure a steady influx of new ideas entering the therapy pipelines, while the Disease Team Awards will convert stem cell discoveries into clinical therapies. With these and the other grants we expect to distribute in the upcoming year, CIRM is positioned to drive the full spectrum of biomedical research, from developing the new ideas to breaking down barriers in stem cell research and bringing new therapies to the clinic.”

The board voted to impose no limits on the number of proposals for the Disease Team and Basic Biology initiatives. ...

[The ICOC is the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)].

Published CIRM-sponsored CSC research

Found via: Stem Cell Research by CIRM Grantees:

Cancer
Mutation Revealed to Convert Blood Stem Cells to Cancer Stem Cells

CIRM-funded researcher: Wei Guo

Researchers at UC, Los Angeles discovered a series of mutations that can convert normal blood stem cells into cancer stem cells. It is believed that many types of cancer result from cancer stem cells created by such mutations. In this case the first mutation converted normal stem cells and then caused over expression of an oncogene, a cancer gene, resulting in a proliferation of leukemia stem cells and acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia in a mouse model. The team hopes that by studying these pathways they will find ways to block them with small molecule drugs and cure the often fatal disease. The study was published in the May 22, 2008 issue of Nature.

Related Information: Nature paper, UCLA press release, The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, Funding grant summary

The published paper is: Multi-genetic events collaboratively contribute to Pten-null leukaemia stem-cell formation by Wei Guo and 10 co-authors, including Hong Wu, Nature 2008(May 22); 453(7194): 529-33 Epub 2008 May 7. [PubMed Citation].

Monday Nov 17 deadline for Disease Team competition

Monday deadline for Canadians on CIRM's big Disease Team round by David Jensen, The California Stem Cell Report, November 12, 2008. Excerpt:

Canadian researchers have an urgent deadline to register for the competition for a piece of possibly as much as $210 million in team-funding in an international effort involving the California stem cell agency.

See also: CIRM/CSCC Joint Announcement: Disease Teams Awards, Cancer Stem Cell News, October 23, 2008.

The link to register for the Disease Team competition is: www.cancerstemcellconsortium.com/uploads/CSCC-CIRM-DTC-EN.doc

UK/CIRM collaboration agreement

State, United Kingdom team for stem cell work by Bernadette Tansey, SFGate, October 21, 2008. Excerpts:

California's stem cell funding institute is teaming up with its United Kingdom counterpart to support research collaborations between scientists, the two government agencies said Monday.

.....

Under the new agreement, teams that include United Kingdom and California scientists will be able to file joint grant applications to the state's stem cell funding institute and the United Kingdom's Medical Research Council. For teams that win grants, the California institute will fund the work of the California members and the research council will pay for the research conducted in the United Kingdom.

.....

The state stem cell funding institute announced similar agreements in June with the Australian state of Victoria and Canada's Cancer Stem Cell Consortium. Victoria pledged $100 million to the effort.

Found via: UK, CIRM ink collaboration agreement by David Jensen, California Stem Cell Report, October 22, 2008.

See also: UK and California agree to collaborate on stem cell research by Monya Baker, The Niche, October 21, 2008. The first two paragraphs:

California’s stem cell funding agency signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Kingdom, expediting collaborations between scientists in the two locations.

Robert Klein, chair of the California Institute of Stem Cell Research and Lord Paul Drayson, UK’s Minister for Science, met in the San Francisco airport to sign the four-page document.

CIRM/CSCC Joint Announcement: Disease Teams Awards

The Cancer Stem Cell Consortium and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Announce Plans to Collaborate on Disease Team Awards, News & Media, Cancer Stem Cell Consortium.

At the BIO 2008 Conference in June, the Canadian Minister of Health, the Honourable Tony Clement, and the Governor of the State of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a partnership between Canada's Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC) and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) for international collaboration to advance cancer stem cell research.

It is proposed that one of the first initiatives to be launched by the CSCC will be a collaboration between Canadian and Californian scientists through CIRM's upcoming Disease Team Research Awards Competition, which will support multi-disciplinary teams of scientists in pursuit of therapies for specific diseases. The goal is to fund the work of Disease Teams that would result in a cell based therapy or a therapy derived from stem cell assays for a particular disease or serious injury. It is anticipated that the RFA for the Disease Team Research Awards will be issued by CIRM in February 2009 with funding announced before the end of the year. Successful proposals will include a description of milestones on a path to an Investigational New Drug filing at the end of the four-to-five year grant.

CIRM and the CSCC have been working to finalize the details of the collaboration, with approval to be requested later this year from their respective governing bodies. In advance of the formal approval and announcement, the organizations wish to alert the Canadian and Californian scientific communities of this potential opportunity and to encourage teams of Canadian and Californian scientists to initiate activities towards the development of Disease Teams focusing on cancer stem cells. Successful projects, co-led by Canadian and California scientists, will be co-funded by the CSCC and CIRM, with Canadian scientists funded by the CSCC and Californian scientists funded by CIRM. Support for Canadian scientists will primarily be for operating funds and will not include support for major infrastructure or facilities.

Canadian scientists proposing to collaborate with Californian colleagues in a joint Disease Team application must register with the CSCC as soon as possible and no later than November 17, 2008. Applications for funding will be reviewed by CIRM's Grants Working Group as part of the Disease Team Research Awards Competition.

To register to submit an application please contact:
Cindy L. Bell, Ph.D.
Interim Executive Director
Cancer Stem Cell Consortium
http://www.cancerstemcellconsortium.ca
Phone: 613-751-4460 ext 118
cbell@genomecanada.ca