What is a California ARS? And How Can It Give Away Billions of Dollars?

California’s taxpayer-financed stem cell agency will give away $98 million later this week, but the agency’s full, 35-member board is not going to have much to do with making decisions about who gets what. 

That’s because 15 members of the governing board are barred from voting on applications for any of its research awards, which will ultimately total r…