California's Half-Billion Dollars for Stem Cell/Gene Therapy Research, Plus a Not-So-Secret Sauce for Greater Impact

CIRM board meeting on Thursday to consider all that along with affordability of possible treatments

CIRM’s proposed spending for research for 2025-26 is budgeted to set a record. The chart above shows actual spending since 2021-22. For a look at how CIRM left $560 million on the table see here. CIRM chart

In just three days, California will unveil more details of how it plans to boost its impact and, perhaps, help to produce a revolutionary stem cell or gene therapy that has eluded the state’s research program for the past 20 years.

The Golden State’s research program, officially known as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), will ask its governing board to approve a record-setting $506 million research budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Notably, CIRM’s funding is not affected by the Trump administration's machinations at the federal level. The state program was created by a state ballot initiative that channels its billions directly to CIRM without interference by the legislature or the governor.

Clinical stage and translational research will receive the largest share -- $295 million. Clinical stage research is the last step needed before a potential cure can be approved for use. Translational research is aimed at pushing basic research forward into the clinical arena. Basic research is slated to receive $158 million.

While the figures are impressive, CIRM is working on ways to make its remaining $3.6 billion more productive than the $4.6 billion it has already spent on research.