HistoryTSRI's roots can be traced to the Scripps Metabolic Clinic, founded near the current site in 1924, by the noted philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps. In 1946 it evolved into the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation. Initially focusing on the study of immune disorders, over the following 25 years the faculty grew and diversified its research interests, precipitating another name change in 1977, to The Research Institute of Scripps Clinic. In 1991 the Scripps Clinic and research division became separate corporations and The Scripps Research Institute was founded. In the late 1980's TSRI started a graduate program. StructureLocated on 35 acres (140,000 m2) of land between the Torrey Pines State Reserve and the University of California, San Diego, TSRI has departments of cancer biology,cell biology, chemistry, genetics, immunology and microbial science, infectology, molecular biology, molecular and experimental medicine, molecular therapeutics, chemical physiology, neurobiology, molecular and integrative neurosciences, neurobiology of addictive disorders, aging and metabolism, and translational research. In addition, it incorporates:
The president of TSRI is Richard Lerner. Among the 214 members of faculty are notable chemists, Kyriacos Costa Nicolaou and Dale L. Boger, as well as Nobel Laureates Gerald Edelman, Kurt Wüthrich and K. Barry Sharpless. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography is often incorrectly associated with TSRI; it is in fact a nearby research facility that is part of UCSD. TSRI is a private institute not directly associated with UCSD. Confusingly, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography was once called the Scripps Institution for Biological Research. Scripps FloridaTSRI is currently in the process of building a sister facility at the Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University in Palm Beach County, Florida. Scripps Florida now operates with approximately 240 scientists, technicians, administrators, and graduate students at a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) lab facility. Upon completion the institute will operate out of a 350,000-square-foot (33,000 m2), state-of-the-art biomedical research facility focusing on basic biomedical science, drug discovery, and technology development. The ribbon cutting for Scripps Florida's three new buildings is set for February 26, 2009. Medical SchoolIt was reported on March 25, 2008 that TSRI and Scripps Health would begin a joint venture to start a medical school, focusing on both clinical care and laboratory research. The first students would begin in 2011 with the first graduates expected in 2016. TSRI will need to raise $150 million to start the school. The concept is similar to the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (CCLCM), founded in 2004. Both aim to train the next generation of physician investigators. Each enrolls a very small class and has a 5-year curriculum. In fact, Dr. Eric Topol, current Scripps employee and Cleveland Clinic alum was involved in the creation of CCLCM. Until 2005 Dr. Topol served as chief academic officer and provost at CCLCM. Related linksExternal links
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