Pending better economy, UCI to get research grant

UC Irvine received a tentative grant of $3.3 million on Friday to expand its stem-cell training program.

The university will receive the money when the state’s financial situation improves.

The grant will enable UCI’s training program to recruit more clinical researchers alongside doctoral and postdoctoral scientists.

“Our program will train a new type of researcher who has the ability to cross disciplines,” said Peter Donovan, director of UCI’s training program and co-director of the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, in a prepared statement.

“We need people who can understand basic biology, engineering, chemistry, and how to treat human patients.”

Participants in the new training program will participate in a two-week, stem-cell research boot camp.

— Saneyee Purandare