TIP Funding Guidelines Involving Stem Cells

The awards issued under the NIST Technology Innovation Program (TIP), within the Department of Commerce, are required to adhere to all Presidential policies, statutes, guidelines and regulations regarding the use of human embryonic stem cells. The Department of Commerce follows the NIH Guidelines by supporting and conducting research using only human embryonic stem cell lines that have been approved by NIH in accordance with the NIH Guidelines. Detailed information regarding NIH Guidelines for stem cells is located on the NIH Stem Cell Information website: http://stemcells.nih.gov. The Department of Commerce will not support or conduct any type of research that the NIH Guidelines prohibit NIH from funding. The Department of Commerce will review research using human embryonic stem cell lines that it supports and conducts in accordance with the Common Rule for the Protection of Human Subjects, codified for the Department of Commerce at 15 CFR Part 27, as appropriate.

Any request to support or conduct research using human embryonic stem cell lines not currently approved by the NIH, will require that the owner, deriver or licensee of the human embryonic stem cell line apply for and receive approval of the registration of the cell line through the established NIH application procedures: http://hescregapp.od.nih.gov/NIH_Form_2890_Login.htm. Due to the timing uncertainty associated with establishing an embryonic stem cell line in the NIH registry, the use of existing human embryonic stem cell lines in the NIH Embryonic Stem Cell Registry may be preferred by proposers or current TIP award recipients. The NIH Embryonic Stem Cell Registry is located here: http://grants.nih.gov/stem_cells/registry/current.htm.

A TIP proposer or current TIP award recipient proposing to use a registered embryonic stem cell line will be required to document an executed agreement for access to the cell line with the provider of the cell line, and acceptance of any established restrictions for use of the cell line, as may be noted in the NIH Embryonic Stem Cell Registry.