February 16, 2007

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Two UC Davis researchers are among scientists from around the state who were awarded seed-grant funding from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine today.

The grants are the first human embryonic stem cell research funds allocated under voter-approved Proposition 71, the Stem Cell Research and Cures Act of 2004, which authorized $3 billion in state general obligation bonds to support research into the unique potential of stem cells.

The institute's 29-member advisory board approved proposals from UC Davis professors Ebenezer Yamoah and A. Hari Reddi, awarding their research projects over a two-year period $469,327 and $367,650 respectively. The researchers' proposals were among more than 200 submitted to the stem cell agency in this first round of grants, which distributed approximately $45 million for 72 research projects.

Yamoah, who specializes in otolaryngology and neuroscience, is conducting research that has critical implications for rehabilitating severe cases of hearing loss. He is specifically looking at the differentiation of hair cells and spiral ganglion nerve cells, which are the primary cells that convert sound into electrical signals received and recognized by the brain. More than 50 percent of hearing loss in humans results from degeneration of hair cell and spiral ganglion nerve cells.

Reddi, a professor of orthopaedic surgery and director of the UC Davis Center for Tissue Regeneration and Repair, was awarded funding for research into how embryonic stem cells can be used to treat damaged cartilage.

“These seed grants,” said Ann Bonham, executive associate dean for academic affairs, “are an important step forward in our efforts to turn stem cells into new and better treatments for a variety of disorders that afflict so many patients. Professors Yamoah and Reddi are among the dedicated scientists who are truly establishing new pathways to achieve this important goal.”

While these are the first scientific research monies allocated by the stem cell agency, they were not the first grants awarded. Last year, the agency awarded UC Davis and 15 other California institutions $12.1 million to help train nearly 200 young scientists in stem cell research. UC Davis is set to receive $2.6 million over a three-year period as it guides new scholars through the emerging science of these cells.

Human embryonic stem cells are viewed by researchers as master cells for the body. They are considered capable of growing into a variety of tissues and cell types. Many scientists hope to harness these unique qualities in order to offer new treatment and cures for otherwise devastating diseases and injuries, such as Parkinson's, diabetes and spinal cord damage.

UC Davis has a number of researchers working on a variety of stem cell investigations in both Davis and Sacramento. In 2005, the National Institutes of Health awarded $6 million to fund a Center of Excellence in Translational Human Stem Cell Research. One of only two such centers in the nation, it is focused on exploring stem and progenitor cell therapies for the treatment of childhood diseases, including those that affect the blood and kidneys. UC Davis also is constructing a 100,000 square-foot stem-cell research facility on its medical center campus in Sacramento, where scientists will have access to state-of-the-art laboratories and cell manufacturing and testing rooms.