Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission Announces Over $7 Million in Awards to Accelerate Cures

(Commission also Issues Request for Applications for Four Funding Programs for July 14, 2022 Deadline)

COLUMBIA, Md., May 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission announced it will grant $7,067,409 in award funding to innovative research that will strengthen and advance stem cell treatments and technologies in Maryland. Awardees submitted proposals to the Commission in response to its Request for Applications (RFAs) for its second round of funding cycle in 2022.

Recipients include 24 scientists accelerating research at Johns Hopkins University, Britecyte, Inc., RenOVAte Biosciences, Inc., RoosterBio, Inc., and the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

"The Commission is excited to be able to support this excellent round of awards," said Dr. Debra Mathews, Chair of the Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission. "With tremendous gratitude to the Governor and the hard work and passion of our Executive Director, Dr. Amritha Jaishankar, and our team, we look forward to supporting more transformative research and development in Maryland in the coming year."

The Commission has also issued a RFAs for its first round of funding for fiscal year 2023 and is looking to continue accelerating cutting-edge research and cures through the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF).

Established under the Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006, MSCRF promotes state-funded stem cell research and cures through grants to both public and private entities in Maryland. MSCRF has a current budget of $20.5 million for FY2023.

"We are delighted to add these 24 new recipients to our existing portfolio and to support their efforts to advance treatments and cures for a wide range of medical conditions" said Dr. Amritha Jaishankar, Executive Director of MSCRF. "With these awards and the new RFAs announced, we will further our mission and grow a stronger regenerative medicine community that will accelerate cures to patients with unmet medical needs."

The second round of MSCRF awards for the 2022 fiscal year include:

• Clinical: This award is for Universities/Research Institutes or Companies that wish to conduct human stem cell-based clinical trials in the State of Maryland. Totaling $650,000, the Clinical Award recipient is Dr. Luis Garza from Johns Hopkins University.
• Commercialization: This award is for a Maryland-based start-up company to develop new human stem cell-based products. Totaling $809,500, the Commercialization Award recipients are Britecyte, Inc. (Dr. Alla Danilkovitch), RenOVAte Biosciences, Inc. (Dr. Bhanu Telugu), and RoosterBio, Inc. (Dr. Jonathan Rowley).
• Launch: These awards are to encourage new and new-to-the-field faculty to bring innovative research and technology to the regenerative medicine field. Totaling $1,380,000, the Launch Award recipients are Drs. Patrick Cahan, Jill Fahrner, and Mollie Meffert from Johns Hopkins University and Dr. Yajie Liang from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
• Discovery: These awards fund innovative ideas to develop novel human stem cell-based technologies and cures. Totaling $3,447,909, the Discovery Award recipients include Drs. Xinzhong Dong, David Hackam, Robert Johnston, Han Seok Ko, Sashank Reddy, Srinivasa Rao Sripathi, Hilary Vernon, and Jiou Wang from Johns Hopkins University, and Drs. Seth Ament and Piotr Walczak from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
• Post-Doctoral Fellowship: These awards support exceptional post-doctoral fellows conducting research in Maryland. Totaling $780,000, award recipients include Drs. Katherine Marshall, Maryam Rahmati, Mario Gomez Salazar, and Wonjin Yun from Johns Hopkins University, and Drs. Ileana Hernández Araiza and Lukasz Kalkowski from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

More information about all current MSCRF awardees is available at https://www.mscrf.org/awardees. The Commission also issued RFAs for the MSCRF Launch, Validation, Commercialization, and Clinical programs. Under this funding cycle, all research proposals must pertain to human stem cell-based therapy and regenerative medicine. All applications are due by July 14, 2022.

About the Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission
The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission is focused on identifying and fostering cutting-edge research and innovation in the field of regenerative medicine in Maryland. Our Accelerating Cures initiative comprises programs that help transition human stem cell-based technologies from the bench to the bedside as well as mechanisms to build and grow stem cell companies in Maryland. Visit us at www.mscrf.org to learn more about our funding opportunities.

About TEDCO
TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, enhances economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in, and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland. Learn more at www.tedcomd.com.

MSCRF Contact
Amritha Jaishankar, PhD
Executive Director, MSCRF
[email protected]

TEDCO Contact
Tammi Thomas
Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, TEDCO
[email protected]

SOURCE Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission