State funds available for some stem cell research

Application information Applications are now being accepted and the grant deadline is June 12. Contact Dave Palm at 402-471-0146 or david.palm@nebraska.gov for more information.

State funds are now available for investigators who conduct stem cell research that doesn’t involve human embryonic stem cells.

A total of $970,000 is now available for Nebraska researchers who conduct such work.

“This is an outstanding funding opportunity for our investigators who work with adult stem cells and other related systems that do not use embryonic cells,” said James Turpen, Ph.D., interim director of regenerative medicine at UNMC.

The funding was made available as part of the Nebraska Legislature’s Stem Cell Research Act (LB 606). The bill put limitations on the ways state dollars could be used in terms of stem cell research and created the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee.

“This is an outstanding funding opportunity for our investigators who work with adult stem cells and other related systems that do not use embryonic cells.” James Turpen, Ph.D.

The committee developed a grant process and will make grant awards to Nebraska institutions and/or researchers to conduct stem cell research that does not use human embryonic stem cells.

Applicants may apply for one- or two-year grant awards. The maximum grant award is $100,000 for one year or $150,000 for two years.

No single institution or researcher is eligible to receive more than 70 percent of the funds available for distribution and each sponsoring institution or researcher is responsible to provide a dollar-for-dollar match. No institution may submit more than five applications and for that reason, potential applicants will be pre-screened for entry into the process.

Required matching funds must be obtained from sources other than funds provided by LB 606 and may include principal investigator salaries among other items.