BRONX, NY - February 9, 2015 - The Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, directed by Dr. Paul Frenette, was recently awarded the New York Stem Cell Science (NYSTEM) institutional training grant.
The $1.8 million NYSTEM award will support the Institute in providing individual investigators and multidisciplinary teams with the resources needed to train the next generation of scientists in stem cell biology; advance scientific knowledge in stem cell biology and breakthroughs in regenerative medicine; foster collaboration and innovation; and translate basic science discoveries into novel stem cell-based therapies that impact clinical care. In the five years since its inception, the Institute has recruited new faculty with fundamental research interests in stem cells who have significantly strengthened the program. Additionally, Stem Cells, Differentiation, and Disease, a new eight-week stem cell course for Einstein graduate students directed by Drs. Ulrich Steidl and Hilda Ye, has brought a critical new dimension to the Institute's training program.
"We are grateful for Dr. Frenette’s strong leadership, as well as the Gottesmans' considerable generosity, which have inspired both accomplishment and promise in the area of stem cell research at Einstein," said Dr. Allen Spiegel, Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean and Professor of Medicine and Molecular Pharmacology.
Paul S. Frenette, MD"This program would not have been possible without the vision of Dean Spiegel and the support of Ruth and David Gottesman to establish a premier stem cell institute at Einstein. We hope that our stem cell faculty's research activity will soon have a real impact on the health and lives of patients," said Dr. Frenette.
A leading stem cell and vascular biology researcher, Dr. Frenette spearheads Einstein's efforts to explore new research directions, while encouraging collaboration among researchers, recruiting new stem cell investigators, and overseeing the establishment of shared core resources.
The Institute was created in 2010, funded by a large philanthropic gift from the Gottesman family and external sources including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NYSTEM. NYSTEM works collaboratively with the Empire State Stem Cell Board to implement support of stem cell research in New York State.
Investigative activity at the Institute benefits from the College of Medicine’s long-standing commitment to research with model organisms, including C. elegans, Drosophila, zebrafish, and mice. Research areas include embryonic stem cell differentiation and modeling; hematopoietic and cancer stem cells; neuroscience; model organism of stem cell biology; liver regeneration; and cardiovascular progenitors.
"A special thanks goes to Renee Pessin, Nicole Seate Joseph, Joan Pitcan, and Maria Chevere for their tremendous help in putting together the training grant application, particularly their instrumental gathering of information on our mentors and our track record in training students and postdoctoral fellows," Dr. Frenette said.