The Missouri Life Science Research Board – set up to decide how best to spend money in the pursuit of advances in life sciences – has held its first meeting. The panel will determine how to spend about a quarter of the money from Missouri’s huge settlement with the tobacco companies, by approving or rejecting various research projects. Roger Mitchell, Dean Emeritus of the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Chairs the Board. He believes grants to the bio-tech industry will spur on life science research. The Board won’t be able to spend any money until the Legislature completes its work on the budget early in May, but the panel will be able to move forward with its funding proposals and entertain requests for funding by bio-tech and research interests.