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USC Opens Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29, 2010—Research at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) has taken a giant leap forward with today’s opening of the Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC.

USC President C. L. Max Nikias and Keck School Dean Carmen A. Puliafito hosted a dedication ceremony attended by more than 100 donors and other supporters, including representatives from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), as well as the building’s primary donors, philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad. Their $30 million gift is one of the largest given to the Keck School in recent years.

“USC is privileged to benefit from the visionary leadership that drives the Broads and their extraordinary generosity,” said Nikias. “The Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC holds great promise for important scientific discoveries that will readily translate to patient care.”

Construction of the $80 million, five-story, 87,500-square foot, “green”-certified building located at 1425 N. San Pablo Ave. started almost exactly two years ago. The building will house 180 researchers conducting research that could be the key to cures for devastating diseases such as Parkinson’s, age-related macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and Huntington’s, as well as regeneration of damaged skin, heart muscles, and organs.

“I am proud to have implemented the stem cell research policies that make California the innovation capital of the world, and the opening of the Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research ensures that California will continue to be a world leader in stem cell research for generations to come,” said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “This generous gift presented to the University of Southern California by the Broad Foundation is a shining example of what can be accomplished through public-private partnerships and I commend everyone involved for their visionary commitment to the future of medicine.”

The building’s development was funded through the gift from The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation in 2006, a $27 million grant awarded by CIRM in 2008, and monies donated through private philanthropy.

“Our goal in investing in this world-class center at USC is to create an integral hub for stem cell research in Southern California,” said Eli Broad. “This innovative building represents the infinite possibilities for medical discovery by researchers drawn from around the world.”

Originally conceived in 2005, the project is the product of a public-private partnership between California’s voter-created CIRM, the Keck School of Medicine of USC and The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, a Los Angeles-based national philanthropy focused on advancing entrepreneurship for the public good in education, science and the arts.

“USC’s world class stem cell research institute marks the full launch of the stem cell revolution in California,” said Robert Klein, Chair of the CIRM Governing Board. “The extraordinary leadership of USC’s scientists and clinicians lifts the critical mass of researchers and vital research facilities, like the Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, around the state, which will drive the creation of therapies for patients across the globe suffering from chronic disease and injury.”

Dean Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A., lauded Eli and Edythe Broad and CIRM for their generous leadership in making the new stem cell center possible.

“A center like this cannot be created without the support of forward-thinking individuals and organizations that are catalysts of change,” he said. “Our gratitude goes to Eli and Edythe Broad and CIRM for sharing and driving our vision of a home to groundbreaking research that changes lives for the better.”

The stem cell center is the first building on the USC Health Sciences Campus to receive a silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) designation based on the structure’s unique eco-friendly features. It incorporates an ultra-clear glass and black granite façade.

A double-glazed “curtain wall” on the east side of the building allows ventilation in the cavity, reducing heat gain in warmer temperatures and creating an insulating barrier in cool weather. The west-facing wall features a special low-iron glass and is fitted with translucent glass fins that block sun glare while maintaining views to an adjacent courtyard.

The building also utilizes a unique chilled beam HVAC system, using water instead of air to cool the space, reducing energy consumption by more than 30 percent and improving the overall air quality within laboratory areas.

“The center will provide researchers with outstanding space and facilities for state-of-the- art research aimed at the treatment of a vast spectrum of diseases,” said Martin Pera, Ph.D., professor and founding director of the Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC. “The potential applications for stem cell research and regenerative medicine are breathtaking. This new building will enable USC researchers and their colleagues to convert exciting fundamental discoveries into new therapies.”

The building is a cornerstone in the biomedical research corridor on USC’s Health Sciences Campus that includes the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, the Norris Comprehensive Care Center and Hospital, and USC University Hospital.

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