On 8th May 2008, Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) has approved 62 projects for funding under the Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006. “All of the proposals considered by the Commission had already been judged to have high scientific merit, through the scientific peer review processed” said Linda Powers, chairperson of the Commission.

The projects that are approved for fund are:

* 11 applications for RFA-MD-07-1 (Investigator-Initiated Research Grants) – These grants are designed for investigators with preliminary data supporting the grant application.

* 34 applications for RFA-MD-07-2 (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, without any preliminary data supporting the application.

* 17 applications for RFA-MD-07-03 (Post-Doctoral Fellowship Research Grants) – These new grants are for post-doctoral fellows who wish to conduct basic and/or translational research on all types of human stem cells in Maryland.

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 http://www.mscrf.org/content/awardees/2008.cfm.

These Principal Investigators are required to present their interim and final research results at the Maryland Stem Cell Symposium and in annual reports to the Commission.

These work funded would be conducted in Maryland. The scientists and clinicians conducting the work are to be employed (permanent or temporary, full-time or part-time) by an eligible Maryland-based organization.

“The Commission is excited about the potential future applications of these funded projects in diseases such as Parkinson’s, ALS, brain cancer and arthritis, as well as in new enabling technologies such as non-invasive imaging, and in some fundamental biology for the prevention of teratomas or tumors.” says Linda.

Source - Pharma Life