Stem cell center gets $30 million donation

The San Diego Consortium for Regenerative Medicine has a new name, the result of a $30 million donation from T. Denny Sanford of South Dakota announced Tuesday.

In recognition of the donation, the consortium is now known as the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine.

The donation will help build and equip a facility where world-class scientists will pursue stem cell research. It will be built on North Torrey Pines Road across from The Salk Institute and UCSD, which along with The Burnham Institute for Medical Research and Scripps Research Institute make up the consortium.

It’s the philanthropist’s second major donation to a San Diego institution within the past year. In November, Sanford, the owner of First Premier Bank and First Premier Bankcard, gave $20 million to the Burnham and Sanford Health to create a children’s health research center.

The Union-Tribune reported that Sanford became aware of the work being done through developer Doug Manchester. The newspaper also reported that Sanford recently purchased a home in La Jolla.

“The fact that Denny Sanford chose to make such a substantial donation to the Sanford Consortium speaks volumes about the quality research that scientists from our four member institutions bring to the table,” Edward Holmes, M.D., the Sanford Consortium’s President and CEO, said in a press release. “This facility will allow for faster and smarter research to take place by providing a venue for collaboration.”

Sanford added, “I am excited to support this unique collaboration of four world-class institutions. I believe that by working together these researchers will quickly bring forward novel scientific developments that ultimately help patients with limited or no treatment options today.”