Stem cell cures are real, and more are on the way. Thats part of the message Californias stem cell agency will deliver in a special patient advocate event in La Jolla on Thursday, April 20.

To be held from noon to 1 p.m., the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) event will take place at the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, 2880 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037. Its across the street from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Stem cell experts will describe the work done and in progress with the numerous kinds of stem cells, embryonic and non-embryonic, and the public will be able to ask questions.

Those interested in attending can RSVP via the Web at j.mp/cirmsd1.

The event, Stem Cell Therapies and You, is sponsored by CIRM and UC San Diego, which hosts one of CIRMs alpha stem cell clinics.

Four speakers are to present their perspectives on stem cell research:

-- Catriona Jamieson, director of the CIRM UC San Diego Alpha Stem Cell Clinic and an expert on blood cancers

-- Jonathan Thomas, chairman of CIRMs governing board

-- Jennifer Briggs Braswell, executive director of the Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center

-- David Higgins, patient advocate for Parkinsons on the CIRM board

Click on the video slide show below to hear an interview with Thomas about the event:

No stem cell treatments funded by CIRM have yet been approved for use. But dozens of clinical trials with these experimental therapies are under way, and some patients have already been cured.

Most spectacularly, a number of children born with bubble baby disease, or SCID, have been cured of their immune deficiency by CIRM-funded research. Scientists extracted some of their blood-forming stem cells, repaired the genetic defect and then reinfused them into the children. The stem cells proceeded to build a functional immune system.

CIRM was given $3 billion by the states voters in a $6 billion bond issue in 2004 to develop new disease treatments with stem cells. (The remaining $3 billion represents bond interest). The agency has spent most of that money, and soon voters may be asked whether to appropriate more funding.

Do these results justify the $3 billion allocation? And do they justify more funding, whether by the state, biomedical companies or private philanthropy? Was it wise for CIRM to focus so heavily on research in its first years? (The agency was recently scrutinized by the biomedical publication Stat for funding just a trickle of clinical trials.)

And if CIRM runs out of cash, as is projected to occur by 2020, what happens to the work in progress?

These are some of the questions CIRM faces as its cash winds down over the next few years.

Thomas, the CIRM board chairman, said the event is one of a series in which CIRM presents its evidence not only to patient advocates, but to the taxpayers who fund CIRM.

This will be the first one, Thomas said. Well have one in Los Angeles, and have one in San Francisco, one in Sacramento and maybe the Central Valley.

Well hear the latest with projects that are in clinical trials. We have 30-plus now in clinical trials, Thomas said. A great many of those are being undertaken at our alpha stem cell clinics. A prominent one of course is at UC San Diego.

So well talk about what theyre doing but also about whats happening elsewhere in the network at the other alpha stem cell clinics.

bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1020

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California's stem cell agency invites public to San Diego event April 20 - The San Diego Union-Tribune