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 supports the purchase of shared equipment necessary for adult stem cell and regenerative medicine research in Oklahoma. The program targets equipment that will be housed in core facilities, ensuring accessibility to a broad range of investigators across institutions. The funding allocation for such equipment has varied, with amounts awarded ranging approximately from $27,000 to $450,000. The initiative encourages the inclusion of small equipment costs within Research Grant budgets under certain conditions and highlights the importance of making high-value equipment available through the OCASCR Core Facility, accessible statewide. Matching funds are commonly utilized for significant equipment purchases.