The Promise of Regenerative MedicineSTEM CELLS: At the Heart of Regenerative MedicineRecent Events Raise Funds and Friends VOLUME 2 NUMBER 1 | WINTER 2011

S A N F O R D - B U R N H A M M E D I C A L R E S E A R C H I N S T I T U T E

VICE PRESIDENTS, EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Elizabeth Birlet, M.A.Stephanie Boumediene, M.P.H.Edgar GillenwatersPhilip Graham, M.B.A.

VICE PRESIDENT, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Elizabeth Gianini

VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS

Andrea Moser, M.B.A.

PORTAL EDITOR

Kristina Meek, M.A.

CONTRIBUTORS

Heather Buschman, Ph.D.Patricia FullerSam ReedDeborah Robison

DESIGN

Creative Fusion

ON THE COVERRegenerative Medicine holds the promise of the ability to renew and replace cells and tissues of the body, providing doctors with new tools to treat patients suffereing from a variety of diseases.

A Message from T. Denny Sanford 1What is Regenerative Medicine? 2Upcoming Events 4Stem Cells: At the Heart of Regenerative Medicine 5Talking with a Supporter: Duane Roth 6Talking with our Scientists: Brandon Nelson and Dr. Yang Lui 7Recent Events 8Five Reasons to Make a Gift 12Community Outreach 13Partners in Science Back Cover

FOUNDERSDr. William H. and Lillian Fishman

HONORARY TRUSTEESRoberta and Malin Burnham Joe Lewis Conrad T. Prebys T. Denny Sanford

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERSM. Wainwright Fishburn, Jr.CHAIRMAN

John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D.CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERPROFESSOR AND DONALD BREN CHIEF EXECUTIVE CHAIR

Kristiina Vuori, M.D., Ph.D.PRESIDENTPROFESSOR AND PAULINE AND STANLEY FOSTER PRESIDENTIAL CHAIRDIRECTOR, NCI-DESIGNATED CANCER CENTER

Gary F. Raisl, M.B.A., Ed.D.EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTCHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERTREASURER

Margaret M. Dunbar, J.D.SECRETARY

Lorenzo Berho Arthur Brody Shehan Dissanayake, Ph.D. Daniel J. Epstein Pauline M. Foster Alan A. Gleicher Jeanne Herberger, Ph.D. Brent Jacobs James E. Jardon II Robert J. Lauer Stuart Lipton, M.D., Ph.D. Nicolas C. Nierenberg Douglas Obenshain Peter Preuss Duane J. Roth Stuart Tanz Jan Tuttleman, Ph.D., M.B.A. Andrew J. Viterbi, Ph.D. Allen R. Weiss Gayle E. WilsonEX-OFFICIOTodd Golub, M.D.SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD CHAIRMAN

Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037 • 858-646-3100Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona6400 Sanger Road, Orlando, FL 32827 • 407-745-2000Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Santa Barbara2324 Life Sciences Building, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA 93106 • 805-453-0259

www.sanfordburnham.org Toll-free: 1-877-454-5702

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When I was introduced to the Institute that now bears my name—in partnership with the Burnham family—I saw a passion for discovery. If you are familiar with Sanford-Burnham, you know what I mean. If you are a newcomer, let me introduce you to the most innovative group of people I have ever met.

Sanford-Burnham’s scientists are focused on generating novel therapies for patients suffering from diseases for which the world currently lacks treatments, or where present therapies are woefully inadequate. Regenerative medicine, which you will learn more about in these pages, is one way that many diseases might eventually be overcome.

I’m often asked how I select the charities that I support. Is it the cause, the management structure, the track record, the need, or the scope of impact? It’s all of that and more. I look for initiatives or fields that are transformational. I take a leap of faith and partner with selected non-profits to develop new methods to achieve their goals.

Collaboration is at the heart of Sanford-Burnham’s work. For example, the Institute is one of five world-class San Diego-based research organizations partnering to form the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine. Together, these organizations will move stem cell research forward faster than they could alone. The Institute’s spirit of collaboration also extends to hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. Partnerships

leverage complementary strengths to translate discoveries in the laboratory to new therapies in the clinic.

They say a rising tide lifts all ships. Join me in supporting one of the tightest-run ships I know – Sanford-Burnham – and let’s make an impact, together.

Sincerely,

T. Denny Sanford

Let’s Makean Impact–Together

Regenerative medicine, which you will learn more about in these pages, is one way that many diseases might eventually be overcome.

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What isRegenerativeMedicine?The human body has an amazing power to renew and heal itself. Still, as we age, our bodies are increasingly susceptible to injury and diseases, both inherited and acquired. Medical researchers are hard at work seeking ways to regenerate cells or tissues and use them to replace diseased or damaged ones. What if we could grow new insulin-producing cells that are missing in type 1 diabetics? Or what if new brain cells (neurons) could be generated to replace the cells that die in patients suffering with Parkinson’s disease?

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iPSCsInduced pluripotent stem cells

Stem cells generated from any adult cell, such as a skin cell. They have the potential to become any type of cell in the body, with the donor’s unique genetic make-up.

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The term “Regenerative Medicine” might conjure science fiction-inspired visions of replacement organs grown in a lab. In reality, scientists are already harnessing the self-renewing nature of stem cells. Regenerative medicine is alive and working right now at Sanford-Burnham.

Take for example the research of Dr. Fred Levine, director of the Sanford Children’s Health Research Center at Sanford-Burnham. He and his team discovered that stem cell precursors exist in the adult pancreas, and that these stem cells can be transformed into insulin-producing beta cells—a major step toward developing new therapies for the treatment of diabetes. Adjunct assistant professor Dr. Pamela Itkin-Ansari is leading an effort to cure type 1 diabetes by implanting a porous capsule containing stem cells that differentiate (or specialize) into beta cells.

Regenerative medicine and stem cell biology are also informing obesity research. Increased amounts of one kind of fat, called brown fat, help burn energy and reduce body weight. Dr. Devanjan Sikder, assistant professor in Sanford-Burnham’s Diabetes and Obesity Research Center, and his team recently discovered that treating stem cells with a hormone called orexin triggers their differentiation into calorie-burning brown fat cells.

In our National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center, Tumor Development program director Dr. Robert Wechsler-Reya and his team were the first to discover a special kind of stem cell that, when functioning normally, can develop into many different cell types in the brain. But, if this cell acquires certain mutations, it can give rise to brain cancers. His group is now trying to understand how normal proliferation and differentiation of these stem cells becomes derailed so that they can find better ways to target brain tumors.

Using knowledge gained from stem cell biology, Dr. Stuart Lipton, director of the Institute’s Del

E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging, and Stem Cell Research Center, and collaborators were among the first to reprogram skin cells directly into functioning neurons, an achievement that could someday help patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Associate professor Dr. Pier Lorenzo Puri and colleagues are figuring out ways to keep the muscle stem cell pool fresh and ready to regenerate diseased muscle in patients with muscular dystrophy. By unraveling the genetic changes that tell muscle stem cells to differentiate, he and his team have already identified new molecular targets that might allow them to therapeutically boost muscle regeneration in muscular dystrophy patients. Dr. Puri has also discovered a new use for certain cancer drugs, which unexpectedly stimulate muscle cell regeneration, prompting clinical testing for children afficted with this deadly disease.

All of Sanford-Burnham’s researchers benefit from the Institute’s investment in new technologies that drive the regenerative medicine field forward—which means that the public will benefit as their findings are developed into treatments and cures.

To learn more about any of the research areas mentioned above, please visit our blog at http://beaker.sanfordburnham.org.

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Drs. Pamela Itkin-Ansari and Fred Levine at work in the lab.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

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February 24, 2012Third Annual Rare Disease SymposiumJoin us at Sanford-Burnham’s La Jolla campus for a day of discussion about rare diseases affecting children. This year’s event, organized by Dr. Hudson Freeze, will focus on Glycosylation-Based Disorders: Discovery, Patients, and Progress Toward Treatments.

April 27, 2012Bring It! San Diego Sanford-Burnham’s fun and fabulous “game show” returns to test your skill and raise funds for stem cell research. Details will be announced soon at www.sanfordburnhamevents.org.

Let’s Get Social

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John Tyler “Rocket” Williams, who battled a deadly rare disease.

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Upcoming

Stem cells play a key role in regenerative medicine. Various methods are being developed to manipulate embryonic, adult, and induced pluripotent stem cells in order to regenerate cells lost or damaged by disease or injury. (For a greater understanding of the different types of stem cells, please visit our website.) Our scientists are seeking methods by which stem cells can someday be used to treat patients with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, spinal cord injuries, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, and more.

Sanford-Burnham is a world leader in stem cell research, education, and training. Here are some of the key points in our involvement with this quickly expanding field.

1976Sanford-Burnham is founded as the La

Jolla Cancer Research Foundation, with an emphasis on oncodevelopmental

biology—the idea that cancer development is inextricably linked with how the body develops. These studies

help lay the groundwork for the field of stem cell biology.

2003The Institute formalizes its commitment

to stem cell research with the founding of the Stem Cells and Regenerative Biology

Program and the Stem Cell Research Center, both led by Dr. Evan Snyder.

2005The National Institutes of Health

(NIH) selects Sanford-Burnham as an exploratory center for stem cell research

and awards it $3 million to fund research, infrastructure, and training.

2006Sanford-Burnham and three other

San Diego research institutions form the San Diego Consortium for

Regenerative Medicine.

2008Philanthropist T. Denny Sanford

donates $30 Million to the consortium and it is renamed the Sanford

Consortium for Regenerative Medicine.2010Dr. Robert Wechsler-Reya, the first researcher to receive a Leadership Award from CIRM, is recruited to Sanford-Burnham with a $6 million grant. He and his team discovered that brain tumors arise from stem cells that turn cancerous.

2011Sanford-Burnham’s Stem Cell Research Center opens a new facility dedicated to generating and storing collections of induced pluripotent stem cells derived from individual patients with a variety of diseases.

1990sSanford-Burnham establishes the Neuroscience & Aging Research Center, which eventually becomes home to the Institute’s stem cell research program.

2004The Institute is the first research organization to endorse California Proposition 71, which passes and establishes the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

2006Dr. Fred Levine and colleagues show that endocrine progenitor stem cells exist in the adult pancreas, and that these stem cells can be transformed into insulin-producing cells—a major step toward developing new therapies for the treatment of diabetes.

2007Dr. Evan Snyder and collaborators show that human stem cells are therapeutically beneficial in a mouse model of neurodegenerative disease.

2011Dr. Stuart Lipton, director of the

Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging, and Stem Cell Research Center, and

collaborators were among the first to reprogram skin cells directly into

functioning neurons (brain cells), an achievement that could someday help patients with Alzheimer’s disease and

other neurodegenerative disorders.

Stem Cells:At the Heart of Regerative Medicine

STEM CELLS:

At the Heart of Regenerative Medicine

A visitor on Stem Cell Awareness Day looks at cells under a microscope.

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TALKING WITH A SUPPORTER

“One of the things that impresses me about Sanford-Burnham is the trajectory,” says Duane Roth, one of the Institute’s newest Trustees.

Roth has been on an upward trajectory his whole life—from an Iowa farm to founding a biotech company, to his current post as CEO of CONNECT, which fosters San Diego’s local innovation community by aiding the formation of technology and life sciences companies.

“Growing up in Iowa was my Harvard MBA. It taught me a lot—leadership, responsibility, compassion. When a farm burned down, we put it back up. You took care of things as a community. Those are lessons you don’t forget.”

After launching his career at Johnson & Johnson (where he shepherded the first therapeutic monoclonal antibody through FDA approval), Roth founded Alliance Pharmaceutical. Upon relocating the company to San Diego, he started to hear about Sanford-Burnham.

“I was told, ‘there’s this special place on Torrey Pines Road doing really great science.’ It was then known

as the La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation—and, while highly regarded for its science, it was not well known in the community. Then, it became the Burnham Institute, named for Malin and the Burnham family, and things started to evolve with great speed. The Institute has kept the scientific excellence, but has gained notoriety locally, nationally, and internationally, over these past 20 years.”With Roth’s encouragement, CONNECT regularly supports the Sanford-Burnham gala and Bring It! (see page 4), and Roth himself has been involved with the Institute for many years. For example, he spoke on a panel called “Discovering the Future Now,” presented last summer for members of Sanford-Burnham’s President’s Circle.Roth serves as Vice Chairman of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Regenerative medicine galvanized Roth, who says, “Time is short. The day you’re diagnosed with an illness, you spend the rest of your life trying to get back to the day before yesterday. Regenerative medicine is so absolutely compelling because it is the only approach that truly can make it ‘the day before yesterday.’ This technology has taken hold at a speed far, far beyond my expectations—there isn’t a single day that goes by without news in regenerative medicine. And Sanford-Burnham is a major player in the field.”

T. Denny Sanford says, “Duane does so much for our community, and he’s got a work ethic that can move mountains. I was very pleased to hear he’d accepted our invitation to join the Board of Trustees.” Roth is excited about his recent appointment to Sanford-Burnham’s Board. “My job is to help enable the Institute’s scientists to focus on the science, and not get distracted by things that don’t matter. When I walk around campus, I see people whose life’s work is to ask ‘how can we change the course of dis-ease for people who are suffering?’ I think they have all the tools, they have a terrific scientific team, and they have strong clinical and pharmaceutical partnerships, all of which lead to success.”

Duane Roth: On an Upward Trajectory

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TALKING WITH OUR SCIENTISTS

Brandon Nelson and Yang Liu: On Converging PathsAround the same time a young Brandon Nelson was riding dirt bikes in a small town in Washington state, a precocious student named Yang Liu was building electric clocks in sprawling Shanghai, China. Neither imagined then how their disparate paths would bring them together, working at a research facility with the potential to change medicine.

Brandon Nelson manages Sanford-Burnham’s Stem Cell Research Center (SCRC), one of the Institute’s high-tech shared resources, available to all researchers at Sanford-Burnham, as well as those at other institutions. Stem cells are increasingly applicable to a wide variety of research areas, making the SCRC, and Brandon’s role, indispensable.

Yang Liu, Ph.D., was recently recruited to serve as director of the Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) service, a newly created division within the SCRC. The potential of iPSCs to help understand disease, screen potential medicines, and even regenerate tissues, is just coming to light. Sanford-Burnham is a leader in this area, poised to become the largest not-for-profit source of human iPSCs available.

Brandon and Yang praise one another’s expertise. Brandon says, “I started the SCRC as a service-based facility, and Yang is taking it to the next level with disease modeling. He’s bringing in all the latest technologies.”

“Brandon has done all of the foundation work,” adds Yang. “He has been here for three years and has set up this stem cell facility, which is very successful.” IPSCs add a new tool to the Institute’s arsenal. Researchers collect skin samples from patients with diseases and “dial back” those cells (developmentally speaking) to a stem cell state. Then, they reprogram the stem cells to become a specific cell type that they want to study in order to help the patient from whom the cells originated.

Visitors to the SCRC are usually amazed by one thing above all else. They look through a microscope and watch stem cell-derived heart cells beating in unison. The potential

to take these cells into clinical use, to replace damaged tissue in patients with heart disease, is a driving force for Brandon.

On joining Sanford-Burnham, Yang says, “The thing that drove me here was the vision of the Institute. [SCRC Director] Dr. Evan Snyder and [CEO] Dr. John Reed see us becoming the number one iPSC facility in the country, or perhaps the world, and I’m excited to be a part of that.”

Brandon and Yang’s working relationship is a microcosm of the diversity and collaborative spirit at Sanford-Burnham. Sanford-Burnham’s employees hail from around the world, from small towns and giant cities. The Institute creates an environment where they can all feel like part of a team.

At his previous company, an industry leader in developing new reagents for iPSCs, Yang says it was rare to have a chance to talk directly to leading researchers. “Now they are just next door,” he says. “I can just knock on their doors and share ideas.”

That ability to converse easily is part of what will allow Sanford-Burnham and its people to make an impact on the world. The SCRC is one place where Institute staff, visitors, and our supporters can see and feel the heartbeat of collaboration.

TALKING WITH OUR SCIENTISTS

Brandon Nelson welcomes a group of visitors to the Stem Cell Research Center.

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Recent EventsHow the West Was FunSanford-Burnham’s 2011 gala, “Mining for a Cure,” featured all the trappings of California’s Gold Rush era—cowboys and cowgirls, saloons, honkytonk pianos, and a good old-fashioned shootout, just for fun. The Institute’s true grit inspired our very own “Wild Bunch” to contribute more than $1.7 million in support.

Gala Co-Chair Jeanne Herberger with T. Denny Sanford

California State Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher with Muffy Walker and Sanford-Burnham CEO Dr. John Reed

Guests dance the night away under the “starlight.”Jan Moorad with son Christopher Moorad

Linda Chester and Kenneth RindCamille and David Saltman in the mining tunnel leading into the event.

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Recent EventsRECENT EVENTS

Bring It! Orlando Legions of superheroes (and their trusty sidekicks) left their mild-mannered alter egos behind to join Sanford-Burnham at Lake Nona in an epic showdown against disease. The brave and the bold gathered at Hard Rock Live Orlando, calling upon their super powers to answer trivia questions and compete in hilarious challenges. Don’t forget to save the date for next year’s event, November 16, 2012 at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando-Grande Lakes.

Let the games begin! Event co-chair Tony Jenkins with Cat DeCecco

Event co-chair, and our hero, Commissioner Jennifer Thompson and husband David, cheer on their team.

Judging the final round of Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em challenge, emcee Marvelous Mark declares the Sonny’s Restaurant team “Bring It! 2011 grand champion.”

Shaun Chemplavil and Monique Yeager were all thumbs in the hilarious Hulk Challenge.

Universal’s Hard Rock Live was transformed into a neon metropolis at Bring It! Orlando.

Linda Chester and Kenneth Rind Smiles and snarls from Cat Woman and honorary event chairs Jim Jardon and Ed Baxa.

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Recent Events

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Lake Nona President’s CircleNearly 100 guests attended our first East Coast President’s Circle reception at Orlando’s Citrus Club on September 22. Together we celebrated 35 years of milestones, including the establishment of the Lake Nona campus. Pictured here are John Reich and his wife, Shayna Reich, Inaugural Co-Chair for the East Coast President’s Circle, with Institute President Dr. Kristiina Vuori. 

Take Me Out to the BallgameSome of Sanford-Burnham’s top supporters were treated to a night in the chic Owner’s Box at PETCO Park in San Diego on September 6. Greg Lucier, former chair of Sanford-Burnham’s Board of Trustees, threw out the Honorary First Pitch.

Fishman Fund AwardsA power outage couldn’t keep friends of the Fishman Fund away from this year’s Awards ceremony on September 8. Champions of the careers of young scientists braved heavy traffic to honor this year’s outstanding winners: Drs. Gregory Aubért (bottom photo), Roberto Tinoco, Martina Pröll, Aman Mann, and Caroline Kumsta.

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Diabetes Salon EventA devoted group of supporters gathered at the home of Caroline (pictured with Dr. Itkin-Ansari) and Nico Neirenberg to hear from four Sanford-Burnham researchers about the latest progress in type 1 (juvenile) diabetes research. They told the group about exciting new therapies they have invented and we hope to advance into clinical testing.

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RECENT EVENTS

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At Home with Bloomingdale’sSupporters of Sanford-Burnham at Lake Nona in Orlando got a chance to shop in support of research at a private event at Bloomingdale’s at The Mall at Millenia. Ten percent of the night’s proceeds benefitted the Institute‘s Diabetes and Obesity Research Center.

The Atlantic Meets the PacificOctober 17-19, Sanford-Burnham was an inte-gral part of “The Atlantic Meets the Pacific”—three days of dialogue exploring the future of energy, health and technology, hosted by The Atlantic magazine and UC San Diego. A group attending the conference, seen here, toured the La Jolla campus.

A Hole in OneThe Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe (San Diego) graciously hosted past and future friends of the Institute for a day of golf. Some golfers used the Paragolfer device, designed for wheelchair-users.

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Five Reasons to Make aGift to Sanford-Burnham

5. Feel good by doing good According to “The Frontal Cortex,” a blog of Wired Magazine, giving is closely linked with brain activity. Donating to a worthy cause leads to activation in the dopamine reward pathway, causing us to feel pleasure when we give.

4. Leave a legacy Even a modest gift can have lasting implications, but there are many ways to preserve your legacy. Contact us and learn about our many planned giving options.

3. Remember a loved one Maybe you have lost someone to cancer, complications of diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, or another disease. Why not honor that person’s memory by supporting research that moves us closer to a cure and sparing others from the same suffering your loved one experienced?

2. Catch the momentum We have already generated three FDA–approved drugs, with many more in the pipeline and unlimited potential to discover others thanks, in part, to our Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics. As the momentum continues, we invite you along for the experience. You may be able to say you played a part in the next great discovery.

1. Create a better future Give a gift to future generations—the gift of better health and longer life. Every therapy delivered in the clinic starts in the laboratory. Basic research forms the foundation for medical breakthroughs that lead to better health and longer lives. Sanford-Burnham is committed to translating its discoveries into real results for patients in need.

As you look back on 2011, what are you grateful for? What are your hopes for 2012? Help us make the new year a year of advances in medical research. Here are five reasons to make a tax-deductible gift by December 31.

To make a gift or to learn more about supporting Sanford-Burnham, please email giving@sanfordburnham.org or call us toll free: 1-877-454-5702.

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Board of Trustees NewsSeveral members of Sanford-Burnham’s Board of Trustees have been in the news recently. Honorary Trustee Conrad T. Prebys received the Lifetime Achieve Award at San Diego’s 5th Annual Health Care Champions Awards. Trustee Andrew J. Viterbi, Ph.D. was awarded the International Medal from the Royal Academy of Engineering in London, one of the Academy’s highest accolades. Honorary Trustee Malin Burnham and his family recently made a $5 million gift to create the Burnham Center for Civic Engagement, and were honored at the annual meeting of the San Diego Foundation.

♦ Sanford-Burnham CEO Dr. John Reed met with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg at the FDA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland to discuss the FDA’s new initiatives in innovation.

♦ On October 5, we opened our La Jolla campus to the community in honor of Stem Cell Awareness Day. A number of people from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, as well as from local schools and organizations, dropped by to learn about stem cell research.

♦ On October 15, Sanford-Burnham adjunct assistant professor Dr. Pamela Itkin-Ansari presented her work on encapsulation devices for beta cells (more on page 2-3) at TEDxDelMar.

♦ Many members of the Sanford-Burnham community participate in fundraising walks, runs, and rides. A group in Orlando recently participated in

Run Lake Nona, which took participants through the emerging Medical City. Meanwhile, a group from the La Jolla campus participated in the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk through San Diego’s Balboa Park. Dr. Robert Wechsler-Reya spoke about his work on brain tumors at San Diego Ride for Kids, which raises money for children with these diseases.

♦ Members of LIFE@UCF, a non-profit learning institute for seniors at the University of Central

Florida (UCF), visited the Lake Nona campus to learn about Dr. Philip Wood’s research. Dr. Wood and guest speaker Dr. Frank D. Rohter, professor emeritus at UCF, gave a presentation entitled “Effects of Aging on Skeletal Muscle and Heart with the Complications of Obesity.”

♦ Amanda Arenas, a chemistry major at the University of California, Santa Barbara with an interest in fundraising, is assisting in the External Relations department in Santa Barbara.

Opening our Doors to the CommunityParticipating in community organizations and events gives Sanford-Burnham faculty and staff a chance to meet fascinating people, share news of the work we’re doing, and most importantly, give something back.

Dr. Yang Lui shows a visitor around on Stem Cell Awareness Day.

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Dr. Greg Roth and Kevin WalshKevin Walsh (in jacket and tie), a minority business enterprise official for the City of Orlando, is a member of Sanford-Burnham’s President’s Circle. He recently made a generous pledge to support Dr. Greg Roth’s (center) research. Dr. Roth is the director of Medicinal Chemistry in the Diabetes and Obesity Research Center. Not only does Walsh appreciate Dr. Roth as a scientist, but Dr. Roth provided career advice to Walsh’s daughter. She has since taken a job in the biotech field and is very happy in her new career! Seen here are the members of Dr. Roth’s lab.

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