(2009-02-17) The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is pleased to announce a Collaborative Funding Partner Program with Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC), of which CIHR is a funding partner. The purpose of this initiative, announced through CIRM's RFA 09-01 Disease Team Research Award, 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. 

Under this funding opportunity, 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 visit the CIRM website.

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, PhD
Interim Executive Director, CSCC
Email: cscc@genomecanada.ca
Phone: 613-751-4460 ext 118