Agreement between Israel’s Ministry of Science and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine will build on California-Israel Memorandum of Understanding
LOS ANGELES, CA – On February 8, 2016, representatives from Israel’s Ministry of Science and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) will gather at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to sign a major collaborative agreement fostering university-to-university partnerships and joint funding opportunities in stem cell research.
The agreement will provide a new framework for advancing joint stem cell research, with CIRM and Israel’s Ministry of Science providing funding for institutions from California and Israel, respectively. It follows another cooperation agreement signed in 2014 between CIRM and Israel’s Industrial Center for R&D (MATIMOP), which is now supporting joint stem cell research and regenerative medicine projects.
“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, who will be present at the ceremony to sign on behalf of Israel.
“Israel has become an important center for stem cell research,” says Jonathan Thomas PhD, JD, Chair of the CIRM Board. “As part of our new CIRM 2.0 approach to funding stem cell research we want to attract the best science and most promising projects from everywhere in the world to California, and we are hopeful this agreement with the Ministry of Science will be an important step in creating strong and lasting collaborations with Israeli scientists.”
The agreement falls under the umbrella of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding signed between the State of California and the State of Israel in 2014, which was developed to advance collaborative innovation through intergovernmental working groups, sister-city relationships, and exchanges between academics, citizens, and policymakers.
“I am thrilled to see the Israel-California partnership continue to grow under the framework of our Memorandum of Understanding,” said David Siegel, Consul General of Israel to the Southwest U.S. “The State of Israel has been proud to work with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine and we welcome the efforts of the Israeli-American Council in supporting the realization of this important agreement.”
The Israeli-American Council served as the facilitator for the agreement, helping to bring together the two signatories and develop the framework through which the partnership will function.
“By serving as a nexus between the Israeli people and the American people, the IAC sees an incredible opportunity to address some of the most pressing issues facing humanity,” said Adam Milstein, the IAC’s National Chairman. “Both Israel and California are vibrant centers of innovation, filled with brilliant minds and bold ideas. When given new opportunities to collaborate, Israelis and Californians will continue to accomplish extraordinary things.”
Leaders attending the signing ceremony at Cedars-Sinai include Israel’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Space Ofir Akunis, Consul General of Israel to the Southwest United States David Siegel, Chairman of CIRM’s Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee Dr. Jonathan Thomas, Senior Vice President and Dean at Cedars-Sinai Dr. Shlomo Melmed, and the IAC’s National Chairman Adam Milstein. The ceremony will begin at 2 pm and is open to the media.
For more information contact: Nathan Miller or Meira Feinman | (310) 571-8264 | [email protected] or [email protected]
