Events

On April 1, 2016, the San Diego Chapter of the ARCS Foundation Inc., hosted their Scientist of the Year Dinner at the Hilton Resort & Spa on Mission Bay.  Our honored scientist was Dr. Larry S. B. Goldstein, noted Distinguished Professor, Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and Dept. of Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego, Director, UC San Diego Stem Cell Program, Scientific Director, Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center at the Sanford Consortium.

The primary goals of the Goldstein lab are to uncover how molecular motors interact with axonal vesicles and how this relates to neuronal defects in the development of various diseases. His lab was the first to provide molecular descriptions of kinesin structure and organization. This opened the understanding of neurogenerative diseases such as ALS, Alzheimers Disease and Huntington’s Disease.

Dr. Goldstein has also plays an active role in National Science policy. He has served on many advisory committees and has written and spoken about numerous science issues. He has testified a number of times in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate about NIH funding and stem cell research. He actively supported Proposition 71 on the California ballot  which authorized $3 million in tax-free state bonds to fund research in California over the next 10 years. He is also cofounder and consultant to the biotechnology company, Cytokinetics. 

ARCS member, Marge Hebert, chaired the event and arranged for the facility and the organization of the program.  The evening began with a cocktail party where our ARCS Scholars displayed their dissertation posterboards. The Scholars enjoyed the time being together and viewing each other efforts. As guests arrived they mingled with our Scholars discussing their research and findings.  Faculty members from our four participating universities ( The Scripps Research Institute, SDSU, UCSD. and USD) and business leaders from the community  arrived to share in the festivities. There were more than three hundred and sixty attendees.

The evening presentation began with a welcome from the San Diego Chapter President, Mary Fitz.  Danielle Grotjahn, ARCS Scholar from The Scripps Research Institute, spoke on behalf of the ARCS program and her research in the life sciences. After dinner Don Cleveland, Ph.D. Department Chair of Cellular and Molecular Biology Dept. at UC San Diego introduced Dr. Goldstein.  He emphasized the importance of stem cell research and the impact it will have on the future of medicine and health care in our country.

The ARCS Chapter of San Diego wishes to thank it’s many members and  donors for supporting this event and our Scholar program.  All donations received at this dinner went to the Scholar Fund for the 2016-2017 academic year.

Click here to view Dinner Sponsors.