History

  • 1970s
  • Biotechnology Resource Program Funding
    Late 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.

  • Visit from Dr. Arnold O. Beckman
    January 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
  • Small Business Innovation Research Program
    January 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.

  • Beckman Funding
    January 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.

  • Department of Defense Funding
    January 1985

    A Department of Defense grant brings fundraising to within $200,000 of the total needed to complete the construction of the Institute.

  • Construction Complete
    June 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.

  • Doors Open
    September 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.

  • Lasers to Manipulate Cells
    April 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.

  • New Course in Biophotonics
    September 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
  • Erasing Tattoos
    Early 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.

  • Laser Surgery
    June 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.

  • Dr. Beckman Makes a Statement
    September 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.

  • Laser Microbeam and Medical Program
    January 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.

  • Photonic Incubator Launch
    January 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.

  • Dynamic Cooling Device Patent
    September 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.

  • Institute Expansion
    January 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
  • New Leadership
    November 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.

  • Passing of Cofounder
    May 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.

  • Lifetime Achievement
    January 2006

    Dr. Berns receives the lifetime achievement award from the biomedical optics division of the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE).

  • OCT Medical Imaging
    January 2006

    OCT Medical Imaging, a company hosted in the Institute’s Photonic Incubator, licenses its state-of-the-art cardiovascular imaging technology.

  • 2010s
  • Dr. Michael Berns Honored
    June 2012

    Dr. Berns is honored at SPIE for his outstanding achievements in the field of biomedical engineering.

  • 30th Anniversary
    June 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.

  • Vascular Birthmark Foundation Partnership
    March 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.

  • Foundation Matching Funds
    December 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.

  • Michael W. Berns Recognized
    March 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 2020

    Dr. 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.

  • Passing of Founding Director
    August 2022

    Institute 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.