Monday, 5/5/97 Community Briefs
$1 million donated to UCSD Cancer Center SAN DIEGO — A leading
Japanese biotechnology company has given the UC San Diego Cancer
Center a $1 million endowment to create the Chugai Pharmaceutical
Chair in Cancer. Osamu Nagayama, president of Japan’s Chugai
Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., presented UCSD Chancellor Robert Dynes
with a $1 million check Monday at a ceremony marking the grand
opening of the new headquarters of Gen-Probe Inc., a branch of
Chugai Pharmaceutical. The funds generated from the endowment will
support the Cancer Center’s campaign for preventive and clinical
cancer research. Dynes said the Chugai endowment is a significant
step in the worldwide effort against cancer. "This is the largest
gift ever made to endow a chair at UCSD, and is particularly timely
as we observe the 25th anniversary of the war on cancer," Dynes
said. "By providing this generous level of support for
groundbreaking work in cancer research, Chugai has become a partner
with UCSD in the international effort to develop improved
treatments and even cures, with progress ultimately helping cancer
patients worldwide." According to Dr. Ajit Varki, acting director
of the center, the UCSD Cancer Center is one of only 18 federally
designated clinical cancer centers endorsed by the National Cancer
Institute. Varki said the Cancer Center distinguishes itself as a
broad-based center with a wide variety of faculty members from many
different departments participating. "The center is a
multidisciplined group extended throughout the campus,"Varki said.
"It includes research in fields such as biology, chemistry and
medicine. This structure allows for a broad resource for research,
which includes all aspects of cancer research." Dr. David Tarin, a
pathologist from Oxford University, will be the first person to
hold the chair and will also direct the center. Tarin will
officially take his position some time in the next few months.
Academy of Science elects UC researchers Eleven University of
California scientists and researchers are among 60 new members
elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences, bringing
UC’s total membership in the academy to 266. Election to the
academy is one of the highest honors bestowed on scientists.
Membership is awarded annually to recognize distinguished and
continuing achievements in original research. The new members
include UC Berkeley professor of immunology James P. Allison, UCLA
professor of microbiology, and molecular genetics Owen N. Witte.
Witte is also an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical
Institute. Among the 60 U.S. members and 15 foreign associates
elected at the academy’s 134th annual meeting in Washington, D.C.,
April 29, 18 are residents of California. The new members bring the
academy’s active U.S. membership to 1,773 and foreign associates to
309. Westwood Working Group session tonight Los Angeles City
Councilman Mike Feuer has scheduled the next Village Center
Westwood Working Group meeting for May 5 to let developer Ira
Smedra respond to concerns by the group during months of reviewing
issues related to the Village Center in Westwood. At the meeting,
Smedra will present a new, revised plan for the five-acre site
south of Macy’s in the area between Weyburn, Glendon and Tiverton
avenues. The meeting will take place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on the
third floor of Macy’s Westwood. Compiled from Daily Bruin staff
reports.