Maryland

THE STATE OF Maryland excels in biomédical education at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, as well as with numerous commercial researchers. Stem cell research is made possible through appropriate legislation, public support, and a combination of public and private funding sources, though with limited availability and instant competition for such sources, increased state funding and leveraged private investment are necessary to retain and attract top stem cell researchers and to encourage commercial growth.

As no federal legislation in the United States regulates stem cell research (except by an executive order to not allow federal funding to be used for embryonic stem cell research except on human embryonic stem cell lines created before August 9, 2001, each state is responsible for determining policy and funding for stem cell research. Maryland law encourages stem cell research, though it prohibits state—funded stem cell researchers from engaging in human reproductive cloning. The Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006 allowed unused material from assisted reproduction and oocytes to be donated for use in research and also created the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, as well as appointing a commission to review proposals and administer funds to provide grants for adult and embryonic stem cell research.

Funding for research is available through the National Institutes of Health, state funding, and private foundations and research grants. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, founded in 1953 by Howard Hughes, is a philanthropic organization located in Chevy Chase. The organization provides $700 million a year for research, made available to researchers around the country, with projects chosen through national competition, as well as $80 million in grants for science education. In addition to funding, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute also performs cross—discipline research at its campus in Virginia.