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UCLA’s experts are no strangers to working together. Now a generous gift has taken their teamwork to another level.
A Gift That Brings Experts Together
A contribution from longtime supporters David and Diane Steffy to the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA brought together stem cell researchers, neuroscientists, and a vascular biologist to untangle the causes of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, which affect nearly 50 million people.
“We approached the center with our interest in advancing brain aging research with the goal of improving quality of life,” David Steffy says. “The medical field has made great strides in extending lifespans, but these additional years will be marred by suffering if the problems of Alzheimer’s and other dementias remain unsolved.”
A Unique Plan for Progress
The UCLA team is taking a rare but promising approach. Most Alzheimer’s research focuses on beta-amyloid proteins, ignoring other cell types and forms of dementia. Leveraging each scientist’s knowledge, the group is studying the effects of Alzheimer’s and other dementias on multiple cell types, using the latest deep sequencing technology to compare healthy and diseased human tissue.
“Philanthropy provides scientists with the freedom to innovate,” says Dr. Owen Witte, the center’s founding director. “Much progress has been made in personalized cellular medicine due to the dedication of scientists and physicians supported by private philanthropy.”
Generosity Without Borders
Campaign gifts for the center have come from across the country, and the Steffys’ latest gift, though closer to home, crosses regional boundaries, too. Orange County residents, they continue to invest in Los Angeles-based research after finding the experts and following the science.
Their generosity is enabling the Broad Stem Cell Research Center to do the same.
Published December 2019
