Established by the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), the Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell Research (OCASCR) aims to promote research in adult stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. It focuses on facilitating research that can lead to restoring normal functions of cells, tissues, and organs damaged by disease. OCASCR strives to make Oklahoma a hub for such research, especially targeting smoking- and obesity-related diseases, and serves as a resource for public information on these topics.
The OCASCR Grants Program is designed to support research projects centered on adult stem cells and regenerative medicine, with a focus on addressing diseases caused by smoking or obesity such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. The grant prioritizes applications related to adult human stem cells from umbilical cord blood or other adult sources, and regenerative medicine projects that can lead to the restoration of damaged cells, tissues, and organs. The program is open to various research methodologies, including experimental animal studies and the development of tissue regeneration and reconstruction techniques using stem cells. While no formal funding limit is set, proposals up to $150,000 are recommended, with the average grant over the past three years being about $130,000.