Dr. Joshua Hare, director of the Miami University Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Research Institute, received a $25,000 grant for his research using stem cells to treat heart disease at a fundraiser Saturday night in Miami Beach.
"Dr. Hare is a world-renowned pioneer in the use of adult stem cells to repair heart damage," said Sabrina Cohen, who is president of the Sabrina Cohen Foundation for Stem Cell Research, which awarded the grant.
"Many researchers g view heart disease, the #1 killer Americans as the next "big frontier" in stem cell treatment," she added.
Cohen presented the check at a kick-off party in Miami Beach for her "2010 CELLebrity Doctors Calendar," an innovative national fundraiser project she and her board came up with to draw attention to the researchers who are working to find cures for a number of diseases, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis.
More than 100 people packed Bar 721 for the festivities, which includes a cake decorated with a photograph of Dr. Hare. The calendar showcases him as "Dr. February," dressed in shorts and playing the guitar. Also on hand was Jeffrey Goldberg, M.D., Ph.D., of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. He is researching the use of stem cells in eye disease. He is featured as "Dr. January."
But it was Dr. Hare who was the man of the hour. "For me, honestly, this is one of the proudest moments in my life. Sabrina is an absolutely amazing person. She has devoted all of her life and her energies to her foundation and to helping stem cell research generally, not only for spinal cord injuries," Dr. Hare said.
"For me to be the second recipient of a Sabrina Cohen award is, well, I don't know what to say. I'm just very touched and very honored," he added.
Dr. Goldberg also spoke at the event. He recalled meeting Cohen at a stem cell symposium, and he spoke about his research.
"It's really exciting now to be capitalizing all of the advances in the stem cell field, which will enable us to translate what we are learning to use stem cells on the eyes."
He added that, although institutes like his receive government funds, "It is the support of private organizations like the Sabrina Cohen foundation that allow us to do cutting edge research."
Last year, Cohen's foundation gave its first-ever grant for $25,000 to Hans Kierstead, M.D., whose team developed the first stem cell-derived treatment for spinal cord injuries.
Kierstead, who is associate professor of neurobiology and co-director of the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center at the UC Irvine Reeve-Irvine Research Center, is featured on the cover of the "CELLebrity Doctors" calendar. He, along with all the other doctors in the calendar, is expected to attend a formal kickoff for the Calendar on January 22.
"Support Sabrina's foundation. It is going to do amazing things in the future," he added.
Article and photos by Charlotte Libov
More info: 2010 CELLebrity Doctors Calendar, Sabrina Cohen Foundation for Stem Cell Research
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