San Francisco–California’s stem cell agency, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has reached a cooperation agreement with Israel’s Center for R&D (MATIMOP) to help advance stem cell research and regenerative medicine. The agreement, signed in California on December 5, lays the foundation for potential Californian-Israeli stem cell research programs, making it easier for researchers to obtain joint funding for their work.

“Israel has long had a robust stem cell research community,” says Jonathan Thomas, PhD, JD, Chair of the stem cell agency’s Governing Board. “Through this newly announced collaboration, we hope to generate partnerships between Israeli and California scientists that build on our complementary strengths and generate joint research projects that will benefit patients everywhere.”

Dr. Andy David, Consul General of Israel to the Pacific North West sees this official partnership as a quantum leap forward: “It represents a practical expression of shared interests that is unusual for its depth and range. Israel and California are on opposite corners of the globe geographically, but they are practically coming closer every day. The reason for this thriving relationship is the understanding that we are strong mutual assets.”

For CIRM this agreement builds on 16 other international Collaborative Funding Partner (CFP) agreements the agency has developed, including the most recent one, a Memorandum of Understanding with Poland. Other CFP agreements are with the UK, Spain, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, China, Japan, Germany, and France.

CIRM provides grants and loans for stem cell research, research facilities, and other vital research in California. MATIMOP, the executive agency of the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) of the Ministry of Economy of Israel, is the official National Agency for industrial R&D cooperation in Israel, and generates and implements international cooperative industrial R&D programs between Israeli and foreign enterprises.