Canada has decided to invest $100 million into cancer stem cell research in partnership with California. The Health Minister Mr. Tony Clement said this at the BIO 2008 International Convention in San Diego, Wednesday. Clement also said that the money will go for Cancer Stem Cell Consortium, which will work with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to find out the prevention and treatment of cancer. The partnership between Ontario and the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium, is created by the Canada-California Strategic Innovation Partnership and it promises to involve universities, private industry and government.

It can be added that Canada and California jointly conduct nearly 70% of the stem cell research of the north America. Clement think that the partnership between them will be helpful in stem call research. “I’m absolutely convinced that we are on the world’s leading edge of some very, very significant cancer research that will make a real difference in defeating this disease.”

Dr. Michael Rudnicki, scientific director of the Canadian Stem Cell Network, said the $100 million could fund 50 to 60 researchers in Canada, depending on how the research is defined.

Source: The Canadian Press