- 1970s
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Biotechnology Resource Program FundingLate 1970s
UC Irvine Professor Dr. Michael Berns applies and receives funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to launch a Biotechnology Resource Program, which later becomes the LAser Microbeam and Medical Program (LAMMP). The award was renewed multiple times until Congress sunsets the grant in 2017.
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Visit from Dr. Arnold O. BeckmanJanuary 1979
Dr. Berns hosts his first open house for industry leaders to demonstrate the power and promise of lasers. On this rainy January day, Dr. Arnold O. Beckman, founder of Beckman Instruments Inc., and Dr. Richard Nesbit, chief technology officer of Beckman Instruments Inc., attend.
- 1980s
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Small Business Innovation Research ProgramJanuary 1980
The Small Business Innovation Research Program launches in the Bayh-Dole Bill. The program encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) with the potential for commercialization.
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Beckman FundingJanuary 1982
Dr. Beckman, through the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, provides the original financial gift to establish UC Irvine Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic. He funded half of the $5 million needed to build the Institute with the agreement that the remaining funds would be raised through private support.
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Department of Defense FundingJanuary 1985
A Department of Defense grant brings fundraising to within $200,000 of the total needed to complete the construction of the Institute.
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Construction CompleteJune 1986
The construction on the Institute is complete. The facility integrates basic research with a medical clinic, designed to accelerate the translation of innovations to clinical applications.
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Doors OpenSeptember 1986
UC Irvine Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic opens as one of the five national Beckman Institutes established with support from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. Other Beckman Institutes are located at the California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and City of Hope Hospital and Medical Center.
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Lasers to Manipulate CellsApril 1988
In the article, “Laser Scissors and Tweezers,” published in Scientific American, Dr. Berns describes the potential of laser technology to “grasp single cells and tinier components in vises of light,” offering innovative methods to investigate and manipulate cells. This technology remains in use today, highlighting its enduring impact on scientific research.
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New Course in BiophotonicsSeptember 1988
Dr. Berns initially teaches a biophotonics course with 10-15 students enrolled each quarter. Ten years later, enrollment grew significantly with approximately 100 students participating each quarter, reflecting the increasing and importance of the field.
- 1990s
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Erasing TattoosEarly 1990’s
The Institute partners with the Orange County justice system to launch a program aimed at rehabilitating former gang members by providing tattoo removal services.
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Laser SurgeryJune 1991
In the Scientific American article “Laser Surgery,” Dr. Berns discusses the potential use of lasers in surgical procedures for conditions, such as urinary tract calcification, vascular birthmarks, diabetic retinopathy and photodynamic therapies for cancer.
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Dr. Beckman Makes a StatementSeptember 1992
In an address to UC Irvine’s Chief Executive Roundtable, Dr. Beckman expresses his passion for funding “risky ventures,” emphasizing support for projects that government agencies might not typically fund.
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Laser Microbeam and Medical ProgramJanuary 1994
In renewing the LAser Microbeam Program (LAMP) grant funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), a second “M” is added to LAMP, creating LAMMP, to reflect the Institute’s further specialization in medical applications. In the late 1970’s, Dr. Berns established the original LAser Microbeam Program with the goal of developing tools for selectively altering small regions of living cells to study cell and organelle function.
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Photonic Incubator LaunchJanuary 1996
The Institute’s Photonic Incubator opens as one of the first incubators in the University of California (UC) system focused on technology commercialization. This industrial initiatives program supports start-up companies and fosters a collaboration between Institute researchers and affiliated professionals.
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Dynamic Cooling Device PatentSeptember 1998
Institute Medical Director Dr. J. Stuart Nelson, UC Irvine professor of surgery and biomedical engineering, patents the Dynamic Cooling Device and the technology is licensed to industry. It has become the standard-of-care for the treatment of port wine stains, hemangiomas and other vascular birthmarks in infants and young children. Today, the technology is available on more than 25,000 medical lasers worldwide, has been used to treat millions of patients and has generated more than $56 million in royalty revenue.
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Institute ExpansionJanuary 1999
Spurred by a $1 million U.S. Department of Commerce grant, the Institute constructs a $3 million addition to the existing facility. This expansion included a second operating and recovery room, as well as additional space for the Photonic Incubator.
- 2000s
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New LeadershipNovember 2003
Dr. Bruce Tromberg, UC Irvine professor of surgery and biomedical engineering, is appointed as the second director of the Institute, and Dr. J. Stuart Nelson, UC Irvine professor of surgery and biomedical engineering, is appointed as the medical director.
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Passing of CofounderMay 2004
Institute Cofounder Dr. Beckman passes away on May 18, 2004 at the age of 104. He is remembered as an educator, inventor, civic leader, and philanthropist. His personal integrity and passion for science continue to inspire and endure, leaving a lasting impact on the scientific community and beyond.
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Lifetime AchievementJanuary 2006
Dr. Berns receives the lifetime achievement award from the biomedical optics division of the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE).
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OCT Medical ImagingJanuary 2006
OCT Medical Imaging, a company hosted in the Institute’s Photonic Incubator, licenses its state-of-the-art cardiovascular imaging technology.
- 2010s
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Dr. Michael Berns HonoredJune 2012
Dr. Berns is honored at SPIE for his outstanding achievements in the field of biomedical engineering.
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30th AnniversaryJune 2014
The Institute celebrates its 30th anniversary with the launch of the Convergence Optical Sciences Initiative (COSI). This campus-wide effort aims to drive the creation, clinical translation and commercialization of cutting-edge optics, photonics and related technologies to transform human health.
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Vascular Birthmark Foundation PartnershipMarch 2017
The Institute partners with the Vascular Birthmark Foundation (VBF) to host the first comprehensive clinic at the UC Irvine, providing essential treatment for children with vascular birthmarks.
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Foundation Matching FundsDecember 2017
UC Irvine and the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation team up to offer $3.5 million in matching funds to support COSI and the renovation of the Institute building.
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Michael W. Berns RecognizedMarch 2018
The Michael and Roberta Berns LAser Microbeam Program (LAMP) Laboratory is established in recognition of a donation from Beckman Laser Institute, Inc. non-profit.
- New Leadership
July 2020Dr. Thomas Milner, a pioneering developer of optical-based medical instrumentation, is appointed as the third director of the Institute. From 1992 to 1997, Dr. Milner served as a Witaker Research Fellow and assistant professor at the Institute. During this time, Dr. Milner and Dr. Nelson, co-invented the dynamic cooling device, which significantly improved laser dermatological treatments.
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Passing of Founding Director
August 2022Institute Founding Director Dr. Berns passes away on August 13 at the age of 79. Dr. Berns, recognized as “the father of laser microbeams” by the SPIE for his pioneering work in laser nanosurgery, leaves a lasting legacy at the Institute. His contributions have not only profoundly impacted the field, but his work continues to inspire advancements in laser technology and medical research.