# 351 Thursday, July 19 , 2007 - YOLO COUNTY: Miracle Denied?
From the heights of noble aspiration to the depths of short-sighted selfishness? Read on?
YOLO COUNTY: The ?D? in Stem Cell R & D?
?When I first heard the Yolo County proposal,? said Dr. George Daley yesterday, ?The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. ?As with any idea of genius, it seemed so natural, so obvious, so right?like why didn?t I think of that?? said the director of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, in conversation. The ISSCR is a 47-nation organization, and this is the first time in it's history it has ever endorsed any project. What is the Yolo County proposal, and what does it have to do with stem cell research? Briefly, a land developer, Angelo Tsakopoulos, wants to give the majority of his proceeds from a construction project to an endowment to fund stem cell research development: the missing link in stem cells for cures. Back up a little bit. Suppose a cure for cancer was found through research in the laboratory?how does it become available for use? Just knowing about cure is not enough; it has to developed: As in ?R and D?: Research and Development. Research funding, as in California?s Proposition 71, is seed money. But seeds alone are not enough. They must be planted in fertile ground, watered carefully, nourished, sheltered, protected, before harvesting can happen. Tuesday, the board of Supervisors for Yolo County, California, was to decide if an approximately $300 million project for the development of stem cell cures would go forward. Karen Miner, Susan Rotchy, Roman and I were an hand at this public meeting, to voice our outsiders? opinions, as the Supervisors decide whether or not the idea should be studied. Who is behind the project? Angelo Tsakopoulos is a land developer in the Sacramento area, described by those who know him as a man of vision. He owns 2600 acres of land, a portion of which he would like to develop as part residential neighborhood and part ?Innovation Corridor? for the development of stem cell cures. He would like to donate over 1200 to open space preserves. Tsakopoulos met with Bob Klein, arguably the most creative person on earth when it comes to advancing stem cell research and cures. The two came up with the idea for a sort of mini-city, focusing on the most difficult portion of medicine, the gap between theory and therapy. The project would be ?governed by a panel of leading local and international researchers, entrepreneurs and university representatives?(and) develop a not-for-profit regenerative medicine and biomedical research incubator; support allied research in clean energy, agriculture and environmental sciences; and administer a for-profit mixed-discipline research park?, according to literature on the Innovation Corridor. If I understand correctly, Mr. Tsakopoulos would sell some of the land to fund the project. Depending on the size of the project allowed, the stem cell endowment could be funded in amounts varying from a low of $50 million to a high of $400 million, with most estimates ranging around $300 million. The Innovation Corridor would be an international center for the development of regenerative medicine and biotechnology?where? Look for amazements on Interstate 80 between Mace Boulevard and E. Chiles Road, not far from U.C. Davis, in the Sacramento, California area. There will of course be fireworks. Nothing this big happens easily. PART TWO: ?there?s many a slip between the cup and the lip?? As I got ready for the 2-hour drive to Yolo County, my back went out on me, a sudden excruciating stab like an enemy twisting my spine and not letting go. If I believed in omens, here was a classic. Fortunately, Motrin exists. Four horse-pills and some self-pity later and I was good to go. Yolo County is a lovely little community on the edge of civilization. It has, if one can judge on the basis of a few short hours of strident debate, no essential problems. And therein lies the trouble. Spoiled people are not always empathetic to the problems of others. Two of the five board of Supervisors were actually under threat of recall, because they had dared to lead, instead of follow. I would like to thank Supervisors Mariko Yamada and Helen Thomson, for having the dedication to put up with some of the rudest behavior I have ever seen in a public place. Some of the comments bordered on slander, involving words like ?corruption? and ?death of democracy?. The concept of polite disagreement seemed unknown. Naturally, Roman spoke, saying, ?With your approval, the suffering people would have hope?. Immediately a supervisor said, ?This is a land issue, and it has nothing to do with stem cell research. Stem cell research should not be brought into this at all.? Supervisor Yamada showed the courage people elected her for, gently refusing to be chased away from her beliefs, including the fundamental tenet of democracy, that everyone be heard. Karen Miner gave some slightly edged remarks after that, explaining that of course we were going to talk about stem cells, because that was what the land would be used for. If you are going to grow grapes, you talk about grapes; if you are going to grow cures, you talk about cures. Susan Rotchy, Miss Wheelchair California, spoke, saying that one day she hoped to give up her title, when she stands and walks again. The opposition used a lot of noble-sounding phrases to mask their opposition to the new development, but there case to me was best summed up by a woman who actually burst into tears?because, she said, the view out her window might be interfered with. ?Heart-breaking!?, she said repeatedly, ?Heart-breaking!? One patient advocate said afterwards, that woman must have a blessed life, if the view from her kitchen window is her biggest concern. If she had lost a loved one to a disease which might be prevented by stem cells, her outlook might not be the same. Now I am not from Yolo County, and I am sure I do not understand their situation. But what I felt they were saying was: ?We have our beautiful rich houses, surrounded by beautiful nature?and we don?t care about someone else?s suffering.? The decision to ?study the issue? seemed wise?there might be a compromise possible. But probably never before has a developer promised to give 80% of the proceeds from a land deal to medical research. He owns the land; it is right here. If the project dies, it dies. Yolo County did not vote to include this project in their study. Yolo County's short sightedness may have killed something magnificent. Here are a couple of news stories on the issue, check them out. C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\News - Yolo board holds off on growth near Davis - sacbee_com.htm http://davisvanguard.blogspot.com/2007/07/yolo-county-general-plan-proposes-three. Don Reed www.stemcellbattles.com
