Ohio's Third Frontier Commission has awarded $5 million to a stem cell research center run by Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals and Athersys.

The funding, which is part of the commission's research commercialization program, will help support two commercial, four emerging and three pilot projects on stem cell technologies. The funding will be matched by each of the individual projects to create a $10 million grant for stem cell and regenerative medicine in Ohio.

"Our goal is to rapidly move stem cell research from the lab to patients through clinical trials, using our strong background in pre-clinical models," said Stan Gerson, director of the Center for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine. "We have linked corporate partners to our major projects and have been gratified by the development of a stem cell biotechnology commercial landscape in our region."