News & Media

Stem Cell Research at UCSB Soars with New Lab Space and New Research Teams

October 29, 2012

Biomedical research at UC Santa Barbara has catapulted to a position of leadership in the arena of stem cell biology, offering progress toward cures for vision diseases such as macular degeneration. Stem cell research has the potential to transform the practice of medicine, by replacing diseased tissue with healthy new cells. Interdisciplinary teams of UCSB researchers –– including world-renowned faculty members recruited from the U.S. and Britain –– are leading the charge. The university’s newly renovated lab space is critical to the mission.

UCSB Press Release

Envisioning Novel Approaches for Eye Disease: ‘The New Medicine’ at UC Santa Barbara

October 16, 2012

Amgen founder Bill Bowes gives $5 million to develop stem cell therapy for ocular disease; donation launches EMBODI, new biomedical initiative

By growing new retinal cells to replace those that have malfunctioned, scientists hope to one day create and fuse entire layers of fresh cells –– a synthetic patch akin to a contact lens –– as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration, the top cause of visual impairment among people over 60.

UCSB Press Release

Seven CIRM Scholarships Awarded

September 26, 2012

Congratulations to the new crop of 7 CIRM Scholars at UC Santa Barbara! After rigorous review, the Steering Committee awarded 3 Postdoctoral Scholarships and 4 Predoctoral Scholarships to support a portfolio of projects that includes investigation of stem cells in model organisms, human pluripotent stem cells, human adult stem cells, cancer stem cells, and bioengineering approaches to stem cell research.

UCSB Ranked Among the Country’s Top 10 Public Universities

September 12, 2012

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Santa Barbara number 10 in its annual listing of the “Top 30 Public National Universities” in the country, and number 41 on its list of the “Best National Universities.”

UCSB Press Release

Fisher Lab Teams Up with UCI to Tackle Blindness

September 06, 2012

Stem Cell Center Professor Steve Fisher and colleagues Geoff Lewis and Gabe Luna have joined forces with UCI Ophthalmologist Henry Klassen to develop a stem cell therapy for Retinis Pigmentosa. Dr. Klassen is Principal Investigator on a new $17.3M “disease team” grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. In addition to UCSB, collaborators include Cedars Sinai and UC Davis. This project will be the second CIRM disease team effort that includes UCSB, both focused on ocular disease.

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