Text by David Jensen
California has scooped up one of the world's leading stem cell scientists, convinced him to give up his work in Australia and immigrate to California to lead an agency that -- with $3 billion -- is the world's largest single source of funding for human embryonic stem cell research.
On Friday the agency chose Alan O. Trounson, director of the Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories, to become the new president of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), which has been pumping out research grants this year at a rate of $29,000 an hour. Trounson's appointment came after a lengthy search that threatened to stall the barely 3-year-old program.
"It doesn't get bigger than this," Trounson told one Australian newspaper, The Age. Trounson, who flew to Californa on Sunday, said in a statement in California that his new position is an "incredible opportunity." He said that he and Robert Klein, chairman of the agency, have "the financial, political and scientific capacity to take the well-prepared CIRM strategy to the desired outcomes in the clinic efficiently and effectively."
Reaction to the CIRM's new president after the jump.
Jeff Sheehy, a member of the CIRM board of directors, told Wired News,
"I was frankly stunned and delighted to realize that Dr. Trounson would either meet or exceed almost every expectation that we individually had for a candidate for this position: a world renowned stem cell researcher, significant management/administrative experience, significant private sector experience, significant translational experience, a clear well-articulated scientific vision, demonstrated leadership experience, experience with the public, media and political leaders (and the) ability to position CIRM to realize its potential as a global engine for stem cell research."
John Simpson, a sometime critic of CIRM and longtime observer of the agency, said in an interview that he had the "highest regard" for
Trounson. The Australian can "make a major contribution to CIRM,
California and stem cell research in general as president, so long as he never forgets his responsibility and accountability as a public official to the citizens of California," Simpson said.
Trounson, 61, expects to be on the job by the end of this year, but he must first wind up his research connections in Australia. Trounson, who has founded seven companies, also said he is terminating any investments he has in stem cell enterprises. He will earn as much as $490,000
annually at CIRM, which is a substantial jump from the agency's previous cap of $412,500 for the president. One issue in the prolonged search at CIRM was pay, which apparently was too low considering the
$800,000-plus median housing prices in San Francisco.
Trounson, whose resume
(.pdf) runs 72 pages, is a research pioneer in both in-vitro fertilization and human embryonic stem cell research. He produced some of the world's first test tube babies, and he helped launch in-vitro clinics and stem cell businesses internationally.
Trounson's appointment adds even more momentum to the stem cell snowball in California. Earlier this month, news about a $20 million private gift to the University of California, Los Angeles campus for stem cell research rippled around the world, The gift was part of $124
million in private cash given to California institutions for the controversial research in the last two years. CIRM has handed out more than $200 million so far this year and is scheduled to award another $85 million in December. It is currently seeking applications for $222 million in lab construction grants, its single largest rounds of grants. And it is making plans for a $122 million
"disease team" effort to speed development of stem cell cures and therapies.
The Australian press focused on the loss of Trounson. The Age newspaper said
Trounson's move "is the latest in a growing list of senior medical researchers who have joined the brain drain overseas for better wages and greater opportunities."
Trounson's career has not been without controversy. In 2002, he was criticized in connection with a video of a rat he showed Australian lawmakers who were voting to legalize embryonic stem cell research.
In the video, the crippled animal appeared to recover remarkably after receiving what Trounson said was an injection of embryonic stem cells.
However, the cells were taken from fetuses that were up to nine weeks old.
The Los Angeles Times reported on Friday that Trounson apologized to the parliament for the mischaracterization of the cells and learned "a very valuable lesson about ensuring precision in what you say to people."
