Beckman Institute at Caltech

The Beckman Institute at Caltech is a multi-disciplinary center for research in the chemical and biological sciences, located at and partnering with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California, United States.

Beckman Institute at Caltech
Beckman Institute at Caltech, 2002
Established1990
Field of research
Chemical and biological sciences
DirectorDennis A. Dougherty
LocationPasadena, California, United States
AffiliationsCalifornia Institute of Technology
Websitehttp://beckmaninstitute.caltech.edu/

Founding

Founding of the Beckman Institute at Caltech was supported by a major philanthropic gift from the Arnold Orville Beckman and his wife Mabel, through the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. Beckman had a long-term relationship with Caltech as a student, teacher and trustee. After discussions with chemists Harry B. Gray and Peter Dervan, and biologists Eric H. Davidson and Leroy Hood, Beckman announced in 1986 that he would donate $50 million to establish the institute and an accompanying endowment. The Beckman Institute at Caltech was chartered by Caltech in 1987.[1]

Beckman Institute at Caltech

The institute building was designed by architect Albert C. Martin, Jr. in a Spanish style with a pool and a central courtyard. It was dedicated on October 26, 1989, and opened in 1990.[1]:339–344 The building included four levels of laboratory space, libraries, and archives.[2]

Mission

The institute's mission was to foster innovative research in the chemical and biological sciences. A strong emphasis was placed on instrumentation, both in developing new research technologies, and in making facilities available to researchers across the university.[3]

"The mission of the Beckman Institute is to invent methods, instrumentation and materials that will open new avenues for fundamental research in the chemical and biological sciences, and to provide technological support for these efforts." Beckman Institute Charter, 1987

Organizational structure
External video
Harry Gray, “Beckman Institute at Caltech - 2012”, Caltech

Four Caltech professors have served as directors of the Beckman Institute:

Within the institute were nine resource centers, each focusing on a different area of research. A tenth resource center has since been added.[8] As of 2016, the resource centers and their principal investigators and directors were as follows:[9]

  • Center for Computational Regulatory Genomics: Eric H. Davidson, Principal investigator; R. Andrew Cameron, Director[10]
  • CLOVER (CLARITY, Optogenetics, and Vector Engineering Research Center): Viviana Gradinaru, principal investigator; Ben Deverman, director
  • Functional Genomics Resource Center: Barbara Wold, principal investigator; Brian Williams, director[11]
  • Laser Resource Center: Harry B. Gray, principal investigator; Jay R. Winkler, director[12]
  • Mass Spectrometry Resource Center: Jack Beauchamp, principal investigator[13]
  • Molecular Materials Resource Center: Nate Lewis, principal investigator;[14] Bruce S. Brunschwig, director[15]
  • Molecular Observatory: Douglas C. Rees, principal investigator;[16] Jens Kaiser, director[17]
  • Programmable Molecular Technology Center: Niles Pierce, principal investigator; Harry M. T. Choi, director[18]
  • Proteome Exploration Lab: Raymond Deshaies, principal investigator; Sonja Hess, director[19]
  • Transmission Electron Microscopy: Grant Jensen, principal investigator; Alasdair McDowall, director[20]

References
  1. Arnold Thackray & Minor Myers, Jr. (2000). Arnold O. Beckman : one hundred years of excellence. foreword by James D. Watson. Philadelphia, Pa.: Chemical Heritage Foundation. ISBN 978-0-941901-23-9.
  2. "Beckman Research Institute California Institute of Technology". AC Martin. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  3. "Mission and organization". Beckman Institute. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  4. "Harry B. Gray | www.cce.caltech.edu". www.cce.caltech.edu. Archived from the original on 2017-08-10. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  5. "Caltech biologist Barbara Woldnamed Beckman Institute director | Caltech". The California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  6. "Caltech Professor David Tirrell Named Director of the Beckman Institute | Caltech". The California Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on 2018-08-03. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  7. "Dennis Dougherty Named Director of Beckman Institute | Caltech". The California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  8. "Delivering genes across the blood-brain barrier". Technology.org. February 2, 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  9. "Resource Centers". Beckman Institute. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  10. "R. Andrew Cameron". California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  11. "Functional Genomics Resource Center". Beckman Institute. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  12. "Beckman Institute Laser Resource Center". Beckman Institute Laser Resource Center. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  13. "Mass Spectrometry Resource Center". Beckman Institute. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  14. "Nate Lewis". Lewis Research Group. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  15. "Molecular Materials Resource Center". Beckman Institute. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  16. Tindol, Robert (March 28, 2007). "Caltech, Stanford Researchers Dedicate New X-Ray Molecular Observatory at SSRL". Now@Caltech. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  17. "Molecular Observatory". Beckman Institute. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  18. "Programmable Molecular Technology Center". Beckman Institute. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  19. "Proteome Exploration Laboratory". Beckman Institute. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  20. "Biological and Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy". Beckman Institute. Retrieved 10 February 2016.

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