 |
|
|||||
Dr. Hans Keirstead is Associate Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Co-Director of the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center at the UC Irvine Reeve-Irvine Research Center. The Canadian-born neuroscientist received his PhD from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. His PhD thesis concerned his invention of a novel method for regenerating damaged spinal cords, and formed the basis of several worldwide patents as well as the formation of a company in 1999. This work constituted the first demonstration of functional regeneration of the injured adult spinal cord, and for his achievements he received the Cameron Award for the best PhD thesis in Canada. Dr. Keirstead then moved to Cambridge England, where he conducted 4 years of Post-Doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge furthering his studies of spinal cord injury and beginning studies of multiple sclerosis. He was awarded Canadian and British Fellowships to support this work. He received the distinct honor of election to two senior academic posts, Fellow of the Governing Body of Downing College, and Senate Member of the University of Cambridge, and was the youngest member to be elected to those positions. In 2000, Dr. Keirstead joined the Reeve-Irvine Research Center at the University of California, Irvine. The Reeve-Irvine Research Center, founded by the late Christopher Reeve and philanthropist Joan Irvine, is a leading center for spinal cord injury research. Dr. Keirstead directs a large team investigating the cellular biology and treatment of spinal cord trauma, research that also has significance for multiple sclerosis, SMA and other diseases of the nervous system. In order to bring his treatments to clinical trials, he has founded or partnered with biotechnology companies to fund and conduct pre-clinical and clinical development. Dr. Keirstead was recently awarded the Distinguished Assistant Professor of UCI Award, the UCI Academic Senate's highest honor, and was thereafter promoted to Associate Professor with tenure. In 2005, he was awarded the UCI Innovation Award for innovative research leading to corporate and clinical development. Dr. Keirstead has testified at Federal and California Senate Hearings on several occasions regarding the potential of stem cells, is an avid scientific correspondent for public education, is on the Editorial Board of 4 major journals, was an advisor to the CA government on stem cell policy, was a Scientific Advisory Committee Member of the California Stem Cell Initiative that authored Proposition 71, and maintains working relationships with several stem cell companies, venture capital groups, and government economic development offices in the United States, Sweden, Norway, Korea and Japan. Dr. Keirstead is also Vice Chancellor of Academic Development at UDECOM (University of Community Development, in French) situated in Guinea, Africa. UDECOM grants Bachelors and PhD degrees for community development in rural Africa. Dr. Keirstead leads several efforts to develop the university and improve the quality of life for those in the surrounding communities. |
|
|||||
