Keck opens new stem cell research center on HSC


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The Keck School of Medicine welcomes the new Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research today with the grand opening of a $80-million, five-story building.

The dedication ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will include a ribbon cutting, speeches and tours following the celebration of the 87,500-square foot building located on the Health Sciences Campus.

Keck School Dean Carmen Puliafito, USC President C.L. Max Nikias, State Sen. Gloria Romero, building donors Eli and Edythe Broad, and representatives from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine will be present at the ceremony.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, a Los-Angeles based national philanthropy aiming to “advance entrepreneurship for the public good in education, science and the arts” according to its mission statement, donated $30 million toward the development of the building, in addition to CIRM’s $27-million gift. Additional donations for the building were made by private philanthropists.

The building received a silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design designation, the first LEED designation on the HSC. The structure earned its designation for its eco-friendly design, which incorporated a unique low-iron glass and an HVAC system that uses water instead of air for cooling.

The center, which is the newest addition to the group of biomedical research centers on the HSC, will house three areas of study: stem cell, preclinical and clinical research.

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