UCLA ENTERS RACE FOR STEM-CELL MONEY.Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer WESTWOOD - Eyeing the state's $3 billion research funds provided by the November passage of Prop. 71, the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. , launched the Institute of Stem Cell stem cell In living organisms, an undifferentiated cell that can produce other cells that eventually make up specialized tissues and organs. There are two major types of stem cells, embryonic and adult. Biology and Medicine on Tuesday. The announcement follows a similar entry to last month's announcement that the University of Southern California The U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 8,634 of the almost 34,000 who applied for freshman admission will participate in the creation of a vast biomedical bi·o·med·i·cal adj. 1. Of or relating to biomedicine. 2. Of, relating to, or involving biological, medical, and physical sciences. park, fostering the academic competition experts say could lead to scientific breakthrough. ``There'll be a lot of energy and a lot of jobs,'' said Dr. Owen Witte, director of UCLA's institute. ``There will be good things coming as all the interests work together.'' The university will invest $20 million to start the center, using the funds to hire a dozen faculty members and expand its laboratories. It will draw upon its staff from its schools of engineering, letters and science and law to study the various facets of the developing field. ``There's enormous potential to treat life-threatening disorders,'' said Judith Gasson, a professor of medicine and biochemistry and co-director of the institute. ``Cancer, AIDS, neurological disorders This is a list of major and frequently observed neurological disorders (e.g. Alzheimer's disease), symptoms (e.g.back pain), signs (e.g. aphasia) and syndromes (e.g. Aicardi syndrome). - we see the potential to find cures by using this.'' At the same time the universities gear up to further academic discoveries, government and business interests are trying to get a different slice of the action. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) was created by California's Proposition 71 (2004), which authorized it to issue $3 billion in grants, funded by bonds, over ten years for embryonic stem cell and other biomedical research. , created to oversee Prop. 71 funds, has been seeking a permanent home to coordinate the far-ranging facets of the nascent industry. Mayor Jim Hahn and business groups including the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Area Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. put together a proposal to bring CIRM's headquarters downtown, a proposal which the institute expects to receive today. ``Southern California has the universities engaged in cutting-edge research, so it only makes sense to solidify L.A.'s reputation as a player in the field and bring the permanent headquarters to the city,'' said Renata Simril, deputy mayor for economic development and housing. The proposal includes free office and convention space, as well as millions in grant money raised by the city. To snare snare (snar) a wire loop for removing polyps and tumors by encircling them at the base and closing the loop. snare n. the headquarters, Los Angeles will have to beat out other biotech stalwarts such as the Bay Area, Sacramento and San Diego, which boast significant research and industry facilities as well. Finalists will be announced by the end of the month, with a selection expected in May. ``People are seeing this is a great opportunity,'' said Rusty Hammer, the chamber's president and chief executive officer and also chairman of the Prop. 71 advisory council. ``If we can take the money the state's putting up and leverage it with what other groups can raise, it won't be long before we see some real progress against these diseases.'' Brent Hopkins, (818) 713-3738 brent.hopkins(at)dailynews.com |
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