$2.2 Million Donation To Stem Cell Research At Cooper
CAMDEN, NJ (CBS) -- A private donation of more than $2 million will help stem cell research at one South Jersey hospital.
The Cooper Medical School of Rowan University is getting its largest philanthropic gift ever. It'll be spent over the next three years to test stem cells on three different fronts according to Dr. Richard Lackman, head of orthopedic oncology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper.
Lackman told KYW Newsradio, "The projects deal with stem cells and cancer, stem cells and wound healing, for example like in diabetics, or with people who have had radiation that would make wound healing less, and also in the eye where scar tissue can interfere with the function of cataract implants."
The donation comes from one of Lackman's patients who wishes to remain anonymous.
"Three years is a long time. We can do a lot of work in three years," he added. "These are new areas, basically, to the extent that we don't really know specifically the answers to questions we're asking."
Then again, some of those questions have been out there for two decades now. This money can start the process to get some of those answers.
Given this research is likely to take a while, Lackman hopes this will lead to other grants and donations from both public and private entities.