Nominee pool grows for stem-cell czar

Some of the architects assembling California's $3 billion stem cell project are pushing for a competitive process to select a chairman to lead the experiment, rather than automatically backing the man considered to be the likely candidate for the job.

Robert Klein, the Palo Alto real estate developer, is regarded as the leading contender for the job in part because the peculiar language of the proposition seemed closely tailored to someone with his background. He said last week he would be willing to serve, at least for a while, before he returns to his business ventures.

State officials technically had until today to appoint policy makers to run the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, which voters created Nov. 2 by passing Proposition 71. As of Friday, only 13 of 29 members had been named to the institute's governing body, known as the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee.

Twenty-seven members will be appointed by various state officials. The last two are supposed to be nominated to the posts of chair and vice chair by four particular state officials -- the governor, lieutenant...