A La Jolla entity comprising four area research institutions coming together to research stem cells has changed its name. The former San Diego Consortium for Regenerative Medicine (SDCRM) changed its name last month to honor a South Dakota philanthropist who donated millions to research stem cells. T. Denny Sanford of Sioux Falls donated $30 million to SDCRM, said SDCRM Vice President Louis Coffman. “The board of directors decided to change our name in recognition of the gift,” Coffman said. In recognition of the donation, the consortium is now known as the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine (SCRM). Sanford pledged $10 million immediately, and then $2 million for ten years. The consortium received Sanford’s $10 million and will start receiving $2 million beginning next July, according to Coffman. “Mr. Sanford is going to join the board, which is terrific. He’s articulated real support,” Coffman said. Sanford’s funds will be combined with a $43 million grant awarded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to build and equip a facility for scientists from the consortium’s four institutions, allowing them access to collaborate on world-class stem cell research. SCRM has initiated plans to build a research center. The consortium will begin building at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in January of next year. The SCRM project will bring together four research science centers, including the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, the Scripps Research Institute and UCSD. The four groups initiated SCRM, a nonprofit organization funded by California’s Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative (Proposition 71) in 2006. The consortium recently released a draft environmental impact report (EIR) for a 135,000-square-foot research facility to be located at UCSD. According to SCRM communications liaison Richard Ledford in a previous interview, the groups that formed SCRM chose to build the research building at the 7.5-acre site located at the northwest corner of North Torrey Pines Road and Torrey Pines Scenic Drive because it is relatively close to all four members. UCSD owns the land, which SCRM will lease from the college for 52 years. The proposed building consists of four aboveground levels and one subterranean level. The site would include 418 parking spaces and about 3 acres of landscaping. “We filed the EIR and hope the EIR is certified by the regents in November at the meeting,” Coffman said. “And then we’ll go to the California Coastal Commission in December so we can begin construction in January.” Officials said the building would include research laboratories, office space and building support space. “Moreover, the building will house core facilities of a quality and scope more substantial than could be supported by any member alone, including robotics, disease models, imaging and protein and nucleic acid facilities,” an SCRM press release reported. For more information, call Louis Coffman, (619) 225-1249, or e-mail [email protected]. The draft EIR period expired Oct. 9. But copies of documents can be viewed online or at the UCSD Physical Planning Office. To review the draft EIR, go to http://physical planin.ucsd.edu/pub_notice.html or call (858) 534-6515.