MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Dear Friends,

When returning to UCI as a candidate for the Director’s position at the Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic, I was struck by the substantial growth in Irvine and the UCI campus since I was a Whitaker Research Fellow studying under the direction of Medical Director Dr. J. Stuart Nelson. While the campus has expanded and grown, I am ignited with the same inspiration and excitement for the future that I had as a young researcher two decades ago.

UCI Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic is internationally recognized for improving the lives of innumerable people in Orange County and around the world. The 33 current core faculty innovators at the Institute have trained thousands of students and researchers who are now industry and academic leaders in the United States and abroad. The Medical Clinic has benefited more than 90,000 patients from adults and young children who exemplify the Institute’s impact across the globe.

As the third director of UCI Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic, I am humbled and honored to join a highly-skilled team of scientists, engineers and physicians who proudly uphold Dr. Arnold O. Beckman’s legacy and Dr. Michael Berns’ pioneering vision. Together, we pursue our shared mission: translate advanced laser, optical and related technologies into medicine to improve the lives of patients worldwide.

Institute teams are focused and dedicated to discovering solutions to real-world medical problems – in areas such as airway disorders, burns and wounds, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurologic injury and disease, oral health, skin disease, exercise medicine, vascular malformations and trauma and critical care. Researchers are collaborating across disciplines to develop novel devices and effective treatments to mitigate the pandemic.

As we continue our ongoing projects and apply our knowledge and creativity to respond to numerous diseases and conditions, the Institute remains  grateful for the loyal support and generosity of our partners.  I look forward to partnering with you in pursuit of our shared mission. I wish you and your families much health and happiness as we navigate the future.

With Gratitude,

Thomas E. Milner, Ph.D.
Professor, Surgery and Biomedical Engineering
Director, UCI Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic