research institute for stem cell California received news this week embarrassing: The principal applicant to replace Robert Klein as President of the Board of Directors had to be disqualified because he is not a US citizen. Instead, Klein, the developer who led the 04 ballot initiative that created the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), has agreed to stay longer than planned.
CIRM has contributed more than $ 1 billion to the state's stem cell researchers in the continuing controversy over public transparency, the top staff and member of the Board of salaries, conflicts of interests, and if too much or too little funding had gone to clinical applications. The institute seemed headed into a new era this month with the departure of Klein at the end of his term of 6 years. Klein urged his successor Alan Bernstein, executive director of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise in New York City. Bernstein is a scientist who formerly headed the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
According to Los Angeles Times , concerns arose that Bernstein had a conflict of interest because he has chaired a positive external review of CIRM programs. But this week, Bernstein abandoned for another reason: it is Canadian, and the law of the State of California requires the president to be a US citizen.
Yesterday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Klein for another term, and it seems he will stay for one year, while another replacement is found.
In a statement today, Klein praised the "impeccable reputation" Bernstein as scientific and patient advocate and said he will work "to identify candidates that meet its [Bernstein's] high level to succeed me in the next 12 months. "CIRM board will choose the next president on December 15, two days before the end of the course of Klein mandate. The former Democratic senator from the State Art Torres was also appointed by the heads of state for the position.
this article has been corrected. the original version of this article stated that the law creating CIRM requires that the chair must be a citizen of the United States. the requirement comes from a another state law.
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