FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Judy Haley (713) 464-8707 or
April 16, 2004
TAMR Praises Gift to New Frontiers Campaign for Diabetes Research
Charles Butt donates $1 million for new research center
Texans for Advancement of Medical Research (TAMR) on Wednesday praised the generous gift of $1 million by Charles Butt, President of H-E-B, to the Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases (IMM). Butt’s gift, combined with H-E-B’s $1 million contribution in 2002, was earmarked to help create a new Research Center for Metabolic Diseases at IMM.
“With this generous act, hope has been given to thousands and thousands of people who suffer from metabolic diseases,” said Beckie McCleery, president of TAMR. “These two gifts will enable IMM to recruit an outstanding scientist to lead the research effort.”
The center will focus primarily on non-insulin dependent, or adult onset diabetes, in an effort to help the over 18 million people in the United States alone who have the disease, as reported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
In addition to targeting diseases like obesity and Cushing’s Syndrome, the IMM also plans to explore the potential of stem cells to treat type I diabetes mellitus, or juvenile diabetes.
“It is imperative that Texans preserve the ability of research facilities across the state to conduct potentially life saving, ethical research using stem cells, in their search for cures to the world’s most deadly diseases,” said Judy Haley, vice-president of TAMR.
Texans for Advancement of Medical Research (TAMR) seeks to preserve biomedical research in regenerative medicine. The organization is composed of leading scientists, physicians, ethicists, health groups, and individuals who support biomedical research for the purpose of curing diseases and alleviating suffering.
TAMR was successful in defeating legislation during the most recent 78th Legislative Session that would have criminalized stem cell research using Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, or therapeutic cloning.
Beckie McCleery (512) 585-3329
