Four stem cell research scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine have been awarded grants totaling $10.7 million from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

They received multi-year grants of between $2.3 million and $3 million each as part of the annual funding of stem cell research from passage of Proposition 71 by California voters in 2005. The proposition provided $3 billion over 10 years for such research.

The four who received grants are:

* Anne Brunet, assistant professor of genetics;

* Howard Chang, assistant professor of dermatology;

* Karl Deisseroth, assistant professor of bioengineering and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences; and

* Joanna Wysocka, assistant professor of chemical and systems biology and of developmental biology.

Stanford has now surpassed $41 million in grants from CIRM. The grants are partially aimed at helping the careers of younger scientists.

"This is fantastic news," Dr. Michael Longaker, deputy director of Stanford's Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, said of the grants.

"The fact that we had all four go into the statewide pool and get funded is an absolute reflection of the outstanding young faculty we have at Stanford."