More stem cell news today: California's stem cell institute has announced a research partnership with the state of Wisconsin. As explained in a release:
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and the state of Wisconsin, coordinated through and led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, expect to identify opportunities to further the advancement, promotion and funding of stem cell research and the development of stem cell therapies.
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The agreement will make it easier for researchers in California and those at UW-Madison and other entities in the state to obtain joint funding to broaden the potential pool of expertise that can be applied toward research in any specific area.
The "Declaration Of Cooperation" makes sense: Both states are leaders in the field, and Doyle has been a long-time stem cell proponent. Six years ago, he launched a $750 million initiative to develop stem cell research and biotechnology in his state, and he has publicly pledged to have Wisconsin capture 10 percent of the stem cell market by 2015. A few years ago, he shared his views on the research - and the politics behind it - in a Stanford Report Q&A.