After receiving $14 million in loans from six private organizations last week, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine awarded $12.1 million in grants to institutions throughout the state Monday, with the largest grant going to UCLA.

The money from the grants – the first the agency has been able to give out since it was created more than a year ago – will be used to train 169 scientists and students from 16 universities and nonprofit organizations, focusing on the basics of stem cells, including ethics courses.

UCLA received $1,231,802 for its first-year budget, to be used to train 16 scientists. The next largest grant went to Stanford University, which received $1,221,694. The Scripps Research Institute at UC San Diego received the smallest grant of $347,160. In total, eight UCs received grants from the agency.

The agency was created after the passage of Proposition 71 in November 2004, which provided $3 billion in funding for stem cell research to California institutions, doling the money out in $300 million per year.

But so far, lawsuits challenging the agency’s legality have prevented any of that money from being given to stem cell institutes. Plaintiffs in the two lawsuits allege the agency is unconstitutional because it lacks the proper oversight that is required for the use of taxpayer’s money, so the $300 billion in state money is currently not usable.

Researchers involved with the UCLA Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine were glad to receive the grant.

“We’re delighted,” said Steven Peckman, associate director of the UCLA Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine.

Peckman said this first round of grants will provide infrastructure through the training of scientists, who will be educated in research areas such as molecular biology, infectious diseases and ethical issues.

The center will now be contacting scientists who applied for research positions earlier this year, asking them to submit scientific protocol applications.

Peckman said the selection process will hopefully be completed in the next four to five weeks, and Peckman hopes to be able to distribute money shortly.

“This will help us provide high-quality training in the scientific, clinical, social and ethical aspects of stem cell research to the scientists and clinicians developing the future therapies in this rapidly emerging field,” said the UCLA institute’s co-director Judith Gasson, in a statement released Monday.

There has been controversy over stem cell research as many, including President Bush, condemn the destruction of an embryo for scientific purposes.

Stem cells researchers believe they can someday use the cells to replace damaged body parts and cure diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Peckman said he is looking forward to a swift resolution to the cases blocking the funds from Proposition 71.

With reports from Bruin wire services.