San Francisco Getting Stem Cell Agency HQ

karvind writes "San Francisco was chosen Friday as the headquarters for California's new stem cell agency, beating out San Diego, Sacramento and Emeryville. The stem cell institute was created in November after voters overwhelmingly approved a measure allowing the state to borrow $3 billion to fund human embryonic stem cell research. According to Yahoo, the plans call for a 17,000-square-foot office with a maximum of 50 employees who will help dole out nearly $300 million in research grants annually over 10 years."

Comments

Obligatory dead baby joke...

[SpartanVII]

How do you get a baby out of a blender With- *is overrun by thousands of stem-cell protestors*

They gave up a lot of freebies to land this...

[jeblucas]

Heard about it on NPR. Free rent, free furniture, plasma screens, etc. All for 50 bureaucrats that won't actually do any research--they are strictly oversight. SF is hoping the Center will attract biotech firms to set up offices and labs in the city. A "prestige" coup. I kind of doubt it. You can get a lot more labspace a LOT cheaper not too far away. Not to mention the fact that a lot of biotech companies (Amgen, Genentech, IDEC, &c.) already have big centers in the state and don't need to set up facilities to land the bids.

Re:"Ban"

[natrius]

That's right people, there is no federal ban on stem cell research of any kind. No matter what the media tries to tell you.

There's a ban on federal funding for stem cell research. Most funding for scientific research comes from the federal government, so taking away funding for stem cell research is far more significant than you make it out to be. States rarely pass legislation funding specific areas of scientific research like California has now, and I doubt that many states will follow in their footsteps. Future advances in this area will come solely because the residents of the states who fund it chose to do so, and I'm sure people in other states won't have a problem with curing their Parkinson's when a cure comes along. It's easy for people to whine about destroying embryos when there's not a concrete benefit out there that has come from it yet. When it happens, it'll be fairly easy to spot the hypocrites.

Re:"Ban"

[XanC]

I would say that this is an argument against government funding of scientific research. Why do a few people in Washington know what's important to focus on?

Future advances in this area will come solely because the residents of the states who fund it chose to do so.

And what's wrong with that?

It's worse than that.

[Anonymous Coward]

There's a ban on federal funding for stem cell research.

It's worse than that. There's a ban on stem cell research if you've received federal funding. If you have in the past received federal money, if any of that federal money went to facilities, etc, you can't do stem cell research with anything that money's touched. Not facilities, buildings, desk chairs, whatever.

So, the government offers these groups money. They get pretty much every important research institution infected with having received this money. Then suddenly they bait and switch and announce they're banning anyone who's received this money from doing vital medical research because it offends their leaders' religious sensibilities. Then they get to shrug, do a "who me", and have their lackeys on slashdot claim they didn't ban anything. Neat trick.

Re:Biggest story of the day

[DAldredge]

./ doesn't cover it because it is a tech story and /. doesn't cover tech stories any more.

Your tax dollars at work in California

[MerlynEmrys67]

So california voters decide to spend 300 Million a year for 10 years on a science project. Where does the funding start - well 50 people at 100,000 a piece (and that is cheap, assume some of those people are high ranking folks making a ton more) is 5 million a year.

I don't even want to know how much a new 17,000 ft office building is going to cost in San Fransisco - but that can't be cheap (assuming you can build it after the environmental impact).

All this and no real science being done yet.

Re:why not private industry?

[Anonymous Coward]

Saving lives is not profitable. Viagra and headache medicines are. Private enterprise is going to go with the opportunities with the better margins.

Libertarians often have this funny idea that just because something is a good thing, there is a financial incentive to make it happen. This is in reality rarely the case.

why are we funding an industry rolling in dough?

[SuperBanana]

Question- why are we funding an industry that is rolling in record amounts of dough? Biotech research and development is almost 100% government-funded already, and we're giving them even more?

What do we get for all these tax dollars? Why, scandals like Vioxx...and drugs like Nexium, which don't work much better than the pill they replaced, but have some little bit patented so it can't be cloned by generic drug companies...and a new catchy name or color for the public to run to their doctors, demand these premium drugs, and rip off our health insurance companies.

Oblig.

[Dachannien]

Professor Farnsworth: Is it true that stem cells may fight the aging process?
Stem Cell Agency Staffer: Well, yes, in the same way an infant may fight Muhammad Ali, but....
Professor Farnsworth: One pound of stem cells please!
Stem Cell Agency Staffer: (setting container labeled "Stem Cells" on the counter) Of course, any age-reversing effects will be purely temporary.
(Professor Farnsworth opens the container and starts slopping the stem cells on his face.)
Stem Cell Agency Staffer: Auugghh!!

Sigh......

[Anonymous Coward]

California voted for embryonic stem cell research, even though cord blood stem cells, as well as adult stem cells, show more promise. Right now california has a bufget defcit that is out of control, basic infrastructure is growing obselete, and health care and retirement benefits are bankrupting local governments. The UC medical system is turning away emergency room patients, UC Davis can no longer afford to pay for it's life flight helicopters, and a major trauma center in Los Angeles is being closed. Imagine what could have happened if the money for this "Feel Good", initiative had been used for...........HEALTHCARE

Re:Sigh......

[eluusive]

I hear what you said repeated by Anti-Abortionists repeatedly. Honestly though, It's not true. For a simple explanation of the difference see this FAQ entry: http://www.stemcellresearchfoundation.org/About/FA Q.htm#4

For many years, scientists have conducted studies to determine whether the stem cells in adult tissue have the same developmental capability as embryonic stem cells. The general consensus is that adult stem cells seem to be less versatile. Scientists think that embryonic stem cells have a much greater utility and potential than the adult stem cells, because embryonic stem cells may develop into virtually every type of cell in the human body. Adult stem cells, on the other hand, may only be able to develop into a limited number of cell types. Embryonic stem cells also continue to divide indefinitely when placed in culture, while this may not be the case for adult stem cells and this would reduce their capacity to form new cell types. Both adult and embryonic stem cell research should continue simultaneously as they are both critical to our understanding of the etiology, progression and treatment of disease.

While this page is rather neutral between the two, the difference is actually pretty substantial. Especially in regards to their ability to change type, and in their ability to divide indefinately. It has not been shown that adult stem cells do this.

Re:Not about force?

[taylortbb]

The above is very true. From a commercial standpoint research ventures generally fail becuase they require long-term investment with low payback. These research ventures are however something that needs to be done, the world is not yet perfect, and stopping research wont help that.

Science has what is called "indivisible benefit", it will always benefit everyone, regardless of whether they pay or not. However if the payment was left up the those willing to pay regardless then they would there wouldn't be enough money to fund research. The idea in government funding is forcing everyone to pay becuase it helps them in ways people don't realize directly enough that they would give money without being forced.

The same idea applies to cleaning up the environment, building a complete road infrastructure, millitary and so on. They are all essential things to do which cannot be done without forcing everyone to chip in.

BTW, sorry if this double-posts.

Re:"Ban" --- Pleeeeze... Get it Right just once.

[Anonymous Coward]

The ban is on stem cell research derived from human embryos. And to be much more specific it is a federal ban on *NEW* embryos.

Here is an actual snippet from the prez:

"As a result of private research, more than 60 genetically diverse stem cell lines already exist" I have concluded that we should allow federal funds to be used for research on these existing stem cell lines " where the life and death decision has already been made", This allows us to explore the promise and potential of stem cell research" without crossing a fundamental moral line by providing taxpayer funding that would sanction or encourage further destruction of human embryos that have at least the potential for life."
-- George W. Bush

The Real Thing

And yes, that means that FEDERAL FUNDING *IS* ALLOWED for embrionic stem cells.

There is *NO* limitation on other types of stem cells.

And we already have created products from adult hair, skin, bone and blood stem cells. Most medical researchers insist that embrionic stem cells have less potential than other types of stem cells.

California has literally jumped the shark. Any facility that would like to touch that money *MUST* do embrionic stem cell research exclusivily.

This is equilivent to Wyoming deciding that ARM processors may save lives and setting up a research fund. In order to touch the fund you must do verifiable research on the ARM processor.

And yes, it really *IS* as silly as that. And we are not talking about magical money.... It is strictly tax payer money. Remember that last pizza... well forget it...

you can do stem cell research with federal money

[thinkliberty]

Sorry. But you CAN do stem cell research with federal money.

Here are the basic guidelines:

Federal funds will only be used for research on existing stem cell lines that were derived: (1) with the informed consent of the donors; (2) from excess embryos created solely for reproductive purposes; and (3) without any financial inducements to the donors. In order to ensure that federal funds are used to support only stem cell research that is scientifically sound, legal, and ethical, the NIH will examine the derivation of all existing stem cell lines and create a registry of those lines that satisfy this criteria. More than 60 existing stem cell lines from genetically diverse populations around the world are expected to be available for federally-funded research.

No federal funds will be used for: (1) the derivation or use of stem cell lines derived from newly destroyed embryos; (2) the creation of any human embryos for research purposes; or (3) the cloning of human embryos for any purpose. Today's decision relates only to the use of federal funds for research on existing stem cell lines derived in accordance with the criteria set forth above.

See:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/08/20 010809-1.html

Re:you can do stem cell research with federal mone

[Daniel Dvorkin]

And, since the existing stem cell lines are pretty much useless due to contamination, this boils down to a ban on effective research. Meanwhile, fertility clinics destroy embryos that will never be implanted or have the potential to become human beings -- each one a potential source of a new stem cell line -- every day. This is insanity.

Re:"Ban"

[jfern]

Those 60 cell lines are crap.