Overhead view of Sacramento

Congresswoman Matsui Announces $1.2 Million in Economic Recovery Act Funds for UC Davis Health System

October 4, 2017
Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

CONTACT: Mara Lee

(916) 498-5600

Congresswoman Matsui Announces $1.2 Million in Economic Recovery Act Funds for UC Davis Health System

A large portion of the funding will go to the UC Davis Clinical and Transitional Science Center, which is part of the NIH initiative for transforming clinical and translational research. These unique centers are considered "discovery engines" for improving medical care by applying scientific advances to real world practice. Congresswoman Matsui heralded the disbursement of these funds for bringing achievements in medical and scientific research to the people who need them most.

"As I complete the final leg of my State of Sacramento's Health Care Tour, I am reminded of the immense impact medical research has on our families," stated Congresswoman Matsui. "Scientists and doctors have identified stem cells as a potential treatment for many of the most critical diseases facing Americans today. The funding made available by the Recovery Act will fund new medical research, an investment that can offer exciting new breakthroughs to fight these debilitating diseases, and at the same time create new career opportunities in our community."

"These stimulus grants and supplements are extremely important because they enable UC Davis scientists to continue and expand ongoing research, as well as initiate novel studies," said Lars Berglund, Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Research at UC Davis School of Medicine. "Being able to retain highly skilled laboratory staff, as well as contemplate additional job creation, is crucial to the success of scientific investigations, which often can take years to complete. The federal stimulus support is not only vital to an academic medical center like UC Davis, it benefits our entire community and region."

"Successful scientific research depends in great measure on being able to continuously pursue specific goals," said Jan A. Nolta, Director of the UC Davis Stem Cell Program, who has more than 20 years of experience in regenerative medicine. "Not only is this work incredibly important to the laboratory personnel, but it is the patients and families waiting for treatments and cures who, ultimately, will benefit the most."

Recovery Act funding announced for UC Davis Health System today, totaling $1,251,009, includes:

  • UC Davis Stem Cell Program - $382,500 for stem cell research that addresses conditions and injuries involving bone and cartilage repair.
  • UC Davis School of Medicine, Neurology - $361,300 for research into the novel glioma uPA inhibitor design guided by intracellular signaling pathways.
  • UC Davis School of Medicine, Public Health Science - $242,026 to fund the UC Davis site of The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a multi-center, multi-ethnic longitudinal study.
  • UC Davis Children's Hospital - $210,375 to conduct research that characterizes and isolates stem cells that advance techniques in tissue engineering.
  • UC Davis Medical Center, Point of Care Testing (POCT) - $54,808 to help ensure the safety of Sacramentans with national disaster preparedness and rapid detection of multipathogens.

The funding announced today is in addition to similar grants for the UC Davis Health System previously announced by Rep. Matsui, totaling more than $1.6 million. For a full list and interactive map of Sacramento area projects in receipt of federal stimulus funds, please visit www.matsui.house.gov/recovery

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