Institute to Bring Economic Benefits to New Jersey,
Medical Miracles to World
Governor James E. McGreevey
recently took an historic step for national medical research
by creating the first state-supported stem cell research
institute. The Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey will be
a joint research institute between the University of Medicine
and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) and Rutgers University,
and will be funded through a public-private partnership.
Governor McGreevey, Rutgers President Dr. Richard McCormick
and UMDNJ Chairman Dr. John Petillo signed the agreement at
the conclusion of “The Governor’s Forum on New
Jersey’s Stem Cell Initiative” at Robert Wood Johnson
University Hospital in New Brunswick.
“Rarely does an opportunity like this arise;
the opportunity to glimpse the future and affect the present
in such a meaningful way that we set a course to achieve unimaginable
good,” said McGreevey. “We have the opportunity
to change lives throughout the world, as well as in our own
communities and in our own families. Today, we establish the
Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey, becoming the first State
to make a public investment in stem cell research, enabling
us to harness the vast resources of our academic community
and our private industries.”
The Governor highlighted
how New Jersey’s
unique research base will maximize the potential of the Institute,
increasing the likelihood of scientific breakthroughs and economic
benefits to the state. He cited that New Jersey has more scientists,
engineers and technicians per capita that any other state;
and that our biotech cluster is one of the top-five in the
nation, generating $1 billion in 2002, with more than 120 businesses
and 8,000 employees. He also noted that New Jersey’s
pharmaceutical companies developed more than one-third of the
new medicines the FDA approved in 2002; and that our state
alone already accounts for nearly one-quarter of all research
and development dollars spent in the nation by pharmaceutical
companies.
The Stem Cell Institute, to be constructed in
New Brunswick near the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson University
Hospital, will be operated jointly by UMDNJ-RWJ Medical School
and Rutgers. The Institute will feature a state-of-the-art
research facility and will be led by Dr. Ira Black (UMDNJ)
and Dr. Wise Young (Rutgers).
Governor McGreevey provided initial funding to
create The Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey, allocating $6.5
million to help recruit top researchers from around the country
and provide some equipment for preliminary work while the facility
is being built in downtown New Brunswick. The Governor expects
the money will attract more than $20 million in public and
private investments in the first five years.
At the Stem Cell Forum the Governor was joined
by Tricia Riccio, mother of 18-year-old Watchung Hills Regional
High School wrestler Carl Riccio, who suffered a severe spinal
cord injury in 2003 during a match, and other health professionals.
“Hope is really what brings us all here
today. Hope that scientists can unlock the miracles of stem
cells and turn the knowledge they gain into cures for the incurable,” said
Governor McGreevey. “Today, we do something truly remarkable.
We reach into the future to grasp the full extent of our professional
responsibilities. With the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey,
we embrace the mission to improve the lives of others. We have
no higher calling.”#
