Stanford center for stem cell research

Lokey gives $75 million to create nation's largest stem cell research center at Stanford by Ruthann Richter (News Release, Office of Communication & Public Affairs, Stanford University Medical Center, October 6, 2008). Excerpts:

Lorry I. Lokey, the Business Wire founder and philanthropist, is giving $75 million to the Stanford University School of Medicine to help build what is expected to be the nation’s largest center for stem cell research, the medical school announced Oct. 6.

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His contribution will help build a new home for the Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Institute, one of five major research institutes based in the medical school. Institute scientists are involved in the full array of stem cell research, including studies in both embryonic and adult cells, as well as work in cancer stem cells and in the development of disease-specific stem cell lines.

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“Scientists in the fields of stem cell and cancer research are on the brink of new discoveries that may soon affect the understanding and treatment of disease,” said Irving Weissman, MD, the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor for Clinical Investigation in Cancer Research and director of Stanford’s stem cell institute. “With this magnificent lead gift from Lorry Lokey, Stanford will have the facilities to lead those efforts.”

Weissman, who was the first to isolate stem cells in both mice and humans, said the availability of new space will attract key faculty to Stanford and spur collaborations with scientists from the around the world. The new center will include 60 laboratory benches for scientists who will visit Stanford for a month or a year at a time. Lokey said the prospect of bringing top research talent to Stanford is far more meaningful to him than any worldly goods his money could buy.

“I don’t want airplanes and boats and country club memberships,” he said. “I believe that if you fall into a lot of money like I did, you put it into the soil—you replenish the soil for next year’s crop.”

Found via MarketWatch, Oct 06, 2008.