In the state of California, where Proposition 71 (the California Stem Cell research and Cures Initiative) recently was passed by voters, a new agency called the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine will administer the funds for research into stem cell use to find treatments for Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimers, and other diseases. The oversight board of the organization is directed by Zach Hall, Ph.D., who calls the project extraordinary because it entails new scientific and medical frontiers and is important on political, social, and economic levels. The Institute closed bidding for its new administration offices. Bids were received from eleven cities, with some offering free rent, free computers, and free concierge services. The headquarters of the Institute will not do any stem cell research, but will fund scientists to carry out research in their own labs. Dr. Hall says more people need training to do stem cell research, so he will propose to the steering committee that the initial grants should go to train undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in stem cell science. When various grant programs are available, announcements will be made of a call for grant applications in specific areas of stem cell research. Dr. Hall says California is very likely to be a leading center globally for stem cell research. About 30 groups at the University of Wisconsin also do various types of studies on stem cells. Those researchers have financial backing from Michael J. Fox.