In 2002, the Medical Research Council led a cross-Council bid requesting additional funds from the Government for stem cell research. £40 million was provided, allocated across five Research Councils, to establish a co-ordinated programme of activity addressing five objectives:
- Provide increased support to excellent scientists in the UK and attracted to the UK from overseas;
- Be at the forefront of national and international developments likely to flow from stem cell research;
- Lead on the ethical, social, and economic implications of stem cell research;
- Develop the UK skills base and technical capability in stem cell research;
- Seek collaborative opportunities with other stakeholders.
Investment under the SR2002 Stem Cell programme has been co-ordinated by a Cross-Council Stem Cell Coordinating Committee (CCSCCC), chaired by MRC, which includes representatives from the participating RCs and Government Departments. This Cross-Council programme has funded a broad range of stem cell research grants, and provided support for capacity building, public engagement and essential infrastructure such as the UK Stem Cell Bank.
The UK Stem Cell Bank is hosted at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control and funded by MRC and BBSRC. The Bank is now fully operational and as of October 2007, 59 stem cell lines had been approved for deposit within the bank, with the first batch of quality-controlled lines now being distributed.
National coordination of the initiative is achieved via the CCSCCC, which in turn informs the broader UK Stem Cell Funders Forum, a high-level committee comprising Research Councils, Charities, Government Departments and Regulatory Agencies. International activities are coordinated through the International Stem Cell Forum, chaired by the MRC, which comprises 21 funding representatives from 19 different countries with national stem cell initiatives.
The initiative has a major role in contributing to the delivery of the recommendations of the 2005 Pattison UKSCI Report, which is guiding UK strategy in this area. The Research Councils have also been key players in the establishment of the UK National Stem Cell Network, launched on 2007, which aims to help coordinate stem cell research activity through encouraging collaboration and information-sharing throughout the stem cell research community.
Further details can be found on the MRC website.