Israel’s Ministry of Science signed a collaborative agreement with California’s stem-cell research agency on Feb. 8 at a ceremony at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, committing funds for collaborative research projects between universities in both regions.
The agreement builds upon earlier commitments on stem-cell research between California and Israel, including a memorandum of understanding signed by Gov. Jerry Brown and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in March 2014 and an agreement between Israel’s Industry Center for R&D and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, a state agency, in December of 2014.
“This agreement will deepen the partnership between Israel and California, bringing together our most talented scientists to push the boundaries of stem-cell research and advance medical breakthroughs in the treatment of diseases ranging from cancer and diabetes, to Alzheimer’s and HIV-AIDS,” said Ofir Akunis, Israel’s Minister of Science, Technology and Space, in a statement.
Whereas the previous agreement focused on industry, this one focuses on academic research, and it commits real dollars to the endeavor. Funds will likely to flow to institutions that are leaders in the field, including Stanford, UCSF and U.C. Berkeley. — j. staff