Funding starts to flow for stem cell projects

Almost exactly a year after the federal government named the National Stem Cell Centre (NSCC) as Australia's biotechnology centre of excellence, the first round of funding has been distributed to researchers at six institutions across Australia.

While details of the projects are still being hammered out, CEO Hugh Niall said 13 projects had been funded at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, the University of Adelaide, the University of Queensland, Monash University and the NSCC's own facility, with a total of about AUD$14 million to be spent on the projects over the next three years.

Niall said more details on the projects would be forthcoming in late January or early February, once the full program funded at each institution was finalised. But researchers had already received an initial tranche of funding to get the research underway, he said.

Almost 50 projects were considered for funding, according to Niall, with a rigorous scientific and commercial review ensuring that projects making the final cut fit in with the NSCC's scientific and commercialisation strategy.

"We have invested considerable time and effort to ensure that the research projects backed by the NSCC represent Australia's best chance for success in this pioneering field," Niall said.

Among the programs funded are projects dealing with:

• Biological foundations of human ES cell technology.
• ES cell propagation and lineage directed differentiation.
• Isolation, identification, propagation and delivery of adult stem cells.
• Haemopoietic stem cell niches.
• Acellular matrix for tissue regeneration.
• Thymic manipulation.
• Reprogramming of somatic cells.
• Dedifferentiation and reprogramming.
• Haematopoiesis, bone marrow transplantation and blood transfusions.
• Cardiac regeneration to rebuild damaged or diseased heart tissue.

A second round of funding allocation is planned to take place in the first half of 2004. Niall said funding was available to both the original stakeholders of the NSCC and also to stem cell researchers at other universities and research institutes.

Niall, the former CEO of Australian biotech pioneer Biota, has also been appointed CEO of the NSCC, after acting as interim CEO since a reorganisation of senior management in July. Chairman Bob Moses said Niall was asked to accept the position permanently after an international recruitment process.

"We are very pleased that a highly experienced biotechnology executive of the calibre of Hugh Niall is available to lead the NSCC as it establishes itself as Australia's centre of excellence in this exciting scientific field," Moses said.

The NSCC has also provided Prof Bob Williamson with a grant of $65,000 to organise the establishment of an independent ethics advisory committee of 12-16 members with diverse backgrounds and views. The committee will examine the ethical, legal and social issues relevant to research on stem cells and tissue repair.