SB 836, as amended, Corbett. Brain research: Cal-BRAIN program.
Existing law establishes various health research grant programs, including the Cancer Research Program, the Breast Cancer Research Program, and the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program.
This bill, the California Blueprint for Research to Advance Innovations in Neuroscience (Cal-BRAIN) Act of 2014, wouldbegin delete provide thatend deletebegin insert requestend insert the Regents of the University of Californiabegin delete mayend deletebegin insert toend insert establish the Cal-BRAIN program to leverage California’s research assets and the federal BRAIN
Initiative’s funding opportunities to accelerate the development of brain mapping techniques, including the development of new technologies, in order to achieve certain goals. The bill would additionally request the University of California to administer the Cal-BRAIN program consistent with specified objectives and to provide information about the program through an Internet Web site.begin insert These provisions would only be implemented to the extent that adequate funding is appropriated to the University of California, as specified.end insert
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of
2the following:
3(a) In April 2013, President Obama unveiled the Brain Research
4through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN)
5Initiative -- a collaborative program that will map the activity of
6every neuron in the human brain with a programmed total
7investment of more than $300 million per year over 10 years.
8(b) The BRAIN Initiative is launching with approximately $110
9million in funding for research in 2014, as well as additional private
10sector investment from institutes and foundations based in
11California.
12(c) California is poised to be a world leader in this research
13effort given the prominent role of scientists and industry leaders
14throughout the state.
15(d) Four of the six scientists who proposed the BRAIN Initiative
16and six of the 15 members of the Advisory Committee to the
17Director of the National Institutes of Health for the BRAIN
18Initiative are from California.
19(e) Some California-based corporations have indicated they are
20interested in collaborating with brain research institutions on
21research for the BRAIN Initiative to bring new discoveries to the
22marketplace.
23(f) The BRAIN Initiative has the potential to be a major driver
24of new industries and
jobs in biotechnology, artificial intelligence,
25and information technologies, as well as a catalyst for major
26breakthroughs in brain-related diseases, injuries, and illnesses,
27including Alzheimer’s disease, which is programmed to cost
28California over $30 billion a year by 2030.
29(g) The products of scientific research improve the quality of
30our lives and health and provide us with high-quality jobs that
31employ and demand a highly skilled workforce.
32(h) Given California’s assets and capacity for collaboration,
33entrepreneurship, and innovation, a state investment to expand and
34accelerate this research in the state and to promote the translation
35of breakthroughs into the marketplace is an important investment
36in the intellectual infrastructure for California’s economic
future.
Chapter 15 (commencing with Section 92985) is added
38to Part 57 of Division 9 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:
This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the
5California Blueprint for Research to Advance Innovations in
6Neuroscience (Cal-BRAIN) Act of 2014.
(a) The Regents of the University of Californiabegin delete mayend delete
8begin insert are requested toend insert establish the Cal-BRAIN program to leverage
9California’s vast research assets and the federal BRAIN Initiative’s
10funding opportunities to accelerate the development of brain
11mapping techniques, including the development of new
12technologies, which will create new, high-paying jobs in California
13while advancing patient care and improving lives, in order to
14achieve the following goals:
15(1) Maintain California’s leadership role in
neuroscience
16innovation.
17(2) Develop a dynamic map of the human brain that provides
18researchers, physicians, and engineers with the knowledge
19necessary to develop new treatments and technologies that will
20improve lives and reduce the costs of providing health care.
21(3) Grow California’s economy through the expansion of
22California’s high technology and biotechnology sectors.
23(4) Train the next generation of scientists for the neuroscience
24and engineering jobs of the future.
25(b) The University of California is requested to utilize
26California’s unique collaborative research environment by
27administering the Cal-BRAIN program consistent with all of the
28following:
29(1) Convening stakeholders from public and private research
30institutions, biotechnology and high technology companies, and
31venture capital firms to develop the governing structure of the
32Cal-BRAIN program.
33(2) Adopting a research plan that identifies milestones for
34achieving the goals of the Cal-BRAIN program.
35(3) Establishing competitive, merit-based opportunities for
36interested public and private California research institutions to
37apply for Cal-BRAIN program funding.
38(4) Maintaining the flexibility to adjust the Cal-BRAIN
39program’s priorities and focus based upon knowledge gained from
40scientific discoveries.
P4 1(5) Establishing a technology transfer program to identify and
2accelerate the commercial application of both early and late-stage
3discoveries and technologies from the Cal-BRAIN program into
4the marketplace and to promote new and expanded technology
5sectors in the state.
6(6) Soliciting contributions to the Cal-BRAIN program with a
7goal of achieving a nonstate funding match that meets or exceeds
8the financial investment by the state.
The Regents of the University of California are
10requested to provide information about the Cal-BRAIN program
11through an Internet Web site, including a brief description of
12funded projects and activities.
This chapter shall be implemented only to the extent
14that adequate funding for its purposes, as determined by the
15Regents of the University of California, is appropriated to the
16University of California in the annual Budget Act or other statute.
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