Dean of Albert Einstein College of Medicine Named to IOM Committee on Stem Cell Research

January 24, 2012 — (BRONX, NY) — Allen M. Spiegel, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean of Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, has been named to the Institute of Medicine''s (IOM) committee to review and evaluate the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), which was created to distribute $3 billion for stem cell research to investigators within California. The full committee convened October 19-20, 2011 for their initial working meeting, and will be holding the first of two Public Workshops in California January 24-25, 2012.

Allen M. Spiegel, M.D.CIRM is a unique state governmental entity created in 2004 by California proposition 71, which made conducting stem cell research a state constitutional right and approved raising $3 billion to fund that research over 10 years through CIRM. Now at the midpoint of its mandated term, CIRM has requested that the IOM provide an independent assessment of its programs, operations, strategies, and performance since its inception in 2005 and provide recommendations to improve its performance.

Dr. Spiegel brings considerable experience in administration of stem cell research and research funding to the committee. In 2009, he was appointed to the Empire State Stem Cell Board Funding Committee, which reviews grant applications, recommends standards for grant awards, and makes recommendations for awards to the New York State health commissioner. He served as a member of the National Institutes of Health''s Stem Cell Task Force from its creation in 2002 through 2005 and was vice-chair from 2005 through 2006. In 2001, he conducted a White House Oval Office briefing on stem cell research before former President George W. Bush. He also testified before the Senate and House in multiple hearings on stem cell research.

"Creating CIRM with $3 billion in funding through proposition 71 was a bold initiative that has had far-reaching implications for the field of stem cell research within California and beyond," said Dr. Spiegel "The IOM committee charged with reviewing CIRM will evaluate its governance, grants review and management procedures, and scientific impact of its funding and, based on its findings, recommend improvements for the future operations of CIRM. I am pleased to lend my time and expertise to such an important task," he added.

Since joining Einstein as dean in 2006, Dr. Spiegel has championed stem cell research. With the generous support of $15 million from Ruth and David Gottesman, he established the Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research and recruited leading stem cell and vascular biology researcher Paul Frenette, M.D. to direct it. In the past five years, Einstein has secured more than $50 million for stem cell research and regenerative medicine from the NIH and from New York State''s own Stem Cell funding initiative for which $600M over 10 years was committed statewide.

Dr. Spiegel, an IOM member, is an internationally recognized researcher and endocrinologist. Prior to joining Einstein, he was director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) at the NIH. At NIDDK, he oversaw a $1.7 billion budget and a full-time staff of 625. He has published extensively, with more than 250 peer-reviewed papers and 100 reviews and book chapters to his name.

The IOM is an independent, nonprofit organization and the health arm of the National Academies of Science. Among its other work, the institute convenes expert, consensus committees to produce studies offering unbiased and authoritative advice to decision makers and the public.