Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission Announces More Than $12.6 Million in Awards to Advance Regenerative Medicine and Opens Applications for Next Funding Cycle

Awards support academic researchers and companies developing innovative stem cell-based therapies, technologies and treatments; applications for five MSCRF funding programs are due June 23, 2026

COLUMBIA, Md., May 21, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission ("Commission") announced 38 new awards totaling $12,665,189 through the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund ("MSCRF" or the "Fund") to support cutting-edge stem cell and regenerative medicine research, technology development and commercialization across Maryland. MSCRF is an independent program within TEDCO.

Maryland Stem Cell awards support academic researchers and companies developing innovative stem cell-based therapies, technologies and treatments

The awards will support researchers and companies advancing transformative therapies and technologies across 32 medical conditions and diseases, including diabetes, cancer, Parkinson's disease, stroke, sickle cell disease, chronic pain and cardiovascular, bone, blood, digestive and neurological disorders. Funding was awarded through MSCRF's Discovery, Fellowship, Launch, Validation, Commercialization and Clinical programs, reflecting the Fund's continued commitment to supporting the full regenerative medicine innovation pipeline -- from early-stage research through clinical translation and company growth.

"This funding cycle reflects the breadth and maturity of Maryland's regenerative medicine pipeline -- from bold early-stage science to companies preparing technologies for clinical and commercial advancement," said Ruchika Nijhara, Ph.D., executive director of MSCRF. "MSCRF's role is not only to fund promising research, but to help create the conditions for discoveries to become therapies, technologies and companies that can grow here in Maryland and ultimately benefit patients."

The awardees represent Maryland's robust and diverse research and innovation community, including leading academic institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, Baltimore, University of Maryland, College Park, Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Inc. and Lieber Institute for Brain Development, alongside innovative companies including Theradaptive, Caleo Biotechnologies, Mirecule, SereNeuro Therapeutics, Reprocell USA, NuGate Therapeutics and Lentigen Technology. Collectively, these projects underscore scientific excellence, translational research leadership and entrepreneurial momentum driving Maryland's stem cell and regenerative medicine sector.

"The Commission is proud to support a portfolio of projects that reflects both scientific excellence and real translational promise," said Rachel Brewster, Ph.D., chair of the Commission. "At a time when research funding is increasingly competitive, Maryland's sustained commitment to stem cell and regenerative medicine is especially important. These awards help ensure that high-impact ideas have a pathway forward."

Awardees submitted proposals in response to the Commission's Request for Applications (RFAs) for the second funding round of fiscal year 2026. Earlier in the fiscal year, the Commission also allocated more than $4.7 million in additional research grants. Since its establishment under the Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006, MSCRF has supported over 750 research and commercialization projects with close to $250 million and has helped position Maryland as a national leader in regenerative medicine.

The Commission has also released RFAs for five grant programs for the first funding round of fiscal year 2027, reaffirming its continued support for Maryland-based researchers and companies advancing stem cells and regenerative medicine innovation. Applications are now being accepted for the Launch, Validation, Clinical, Commercialization and Manufacturing Assistance programs, with submissions due by June 23, 2026 no later than 5.00 p.m. EST. Applicants are encouraged to visit the MSCRF website for complete details of the RFAs, eligibility requirements and application guidelines.

The most recent round of MSCRF awards for the 2026 fiscal year includes the following:

• Commercialization: These awards support companies developing new human stem cell-based products in Maryland. Totaling $2,597,560, the Commercialization Award recipients are Caleo Biotechnologies Inc. (Dr. Samaneh Kamali), Mirecule Inc (Dr. Kevin Kim), SereNeuro Therapeutics (Dr. Tea Soon Park), Reprocell USA (Dr. Yongming [LUKE] Ren), NuGate Therapeutics (Dr. Anthony Accorsi) and Lentigen Technology, a Miltenyi Biotechnology Company (Dr. Rimas Orentas).
  
  
• Clinical: These awards support public and private entities conducting human stem cell-based clinical trials in Maryland. Totaling $2,000,000, the clinical Award recipients are Dr. Amir Kashani from John Hopkins University and Dr. Luis Alvarez from Theradaptive, Inc.
  
  
• Validation: These awards support validation of promising stem cell-based technologies being developed at Maryland-based academic institutions. Totaling $478,533, the validation award recipients are Drs. Annie Kathuria and Sashank Reddy from John Hopkins University.
  
  
• Launch: These awards support new and new-to-the-field faculty, bringing innovative research and technology to the regenerative medicine field. Totaling $2,799,887, the Launch Award recipients are Dr. Constance Smith-Hicks from the Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Dr. Stephanie Page from the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Dr. Aikaterini Kontrogianni-Konstantopou from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, as well as Drs. Isabelle Coppens, Rupali Srivastava, Elizabeth Luczak, Malia Edwards and Misato Koakutsu from Johns Hopkins University.
  
  
• Discovery: These awards fund Maryland-based academic researchers with innovative ideas to develop novel human stem cell-based technologies and cures. Totaling $3,489,209, the Discovery Award recipients include Dr. Guanshu Liu from the Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Inc.; Dr. Seth Ament from the University of Maryland, Baltimore; Dr. Steven Jay from the University of Maryland, College Park; and Drs. Gabsang Lee, Haiqing Liu, S. Amer Riazuddin, Emmanouil Tampakakis, Vasiliki Machairaki, Chulan Kwon and Aaron James from Johns Hopkins University.
  
  
• Post-Doctoral Fellowship: These awards support exceptional post-doctoral fellows conducting research in Maryland. Totaling $1,300,000, award recipients include Dr. Sahar Vakili from the University of Maryland, College Park, as well as Drs. Michael Anderson, Zhuolun Wang, Jose Francisco Delgado Jimenez, Byunggik Kim, Xiang Liu, Vishnu Babu, Ashis Kumar Srikumar, Dongjin Oh and Fan Tang from John Hopkins University.

More information about MSCRF awardees and funding opportunities is available at mscrf.org.

About the Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission and Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund

Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission, through the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, focuses on identifying and funding cutting-edge research and innovation in the field of regenerative medicine in Maryland. MSCRF's Accelerating Cures initiative includes programs that help transition human stem cell-based technologies from the bench to the bedside, while also supporting mechanisms to build and grow stem cell companies in Maryland. Learn more at www.mscrf.org.

About TEDCO

TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, enhances economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland. Learn more at www.tedcomd.com.

Contact:
Ruchika Nijhara, Executive Director, MSCRF, [email protected]@tedcom

Media Contact
Direna Cousins, Vice President, Marketing, TEDCO, [email protected]
Rachael Kalinyak, Associate Director, Marketing & Communications, TEDCO, [email protected]

SOURCE Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission