Michael Berns

Two brothers are proving there remain a few unexplored tricks to getting a foot in Hollywood's production door. Brentwood-based producer Adam Berns and his writer-director brother Michael are shopping "Fox Hunt," an action comedy they describe as a blend of Ace Ventura and James Bond. Three-quarters of its footage comes from a mildly successful CD-ROM project by the same name they completed more than a year ago.

Two brothers are proving there remain a few unexplored tricks to getting a foot in Hollywood's production door. Brentwood-based producer Adam Berns and his writer-director brother Michael are shopping "Fox Hunt," an action comedy they describe as a blend of Ace Ventura and James Bond. Three-quarters of its footage comes from a mildly successful CD-ROM project by the same name they completed more than a year ago.

The Beckman Laser Institute, a private medical research organization closely affiliated with UC Irvine, has entered into partnership with the University of Southern California to compete for a $15-million federal grant to develop a new laser technology. USC officials confirmed that there have been discussions about relocating the institute, which now leases property on the UCI campus, to Los Angeles.

UC Irvine professor Michael W. Berns, director of the Beckman Laser Institute, has been elected to the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences. "Dr. Berns is one of the most creative world leaders in basic and clinical laser research as it relates to medical diseases," said William E. Bunney, distinguished professor of psychiatry at the UCI College of Medicine. "This is certainly a significant honor."

UC Irvine professor Michael W. Berns, director of the Beckman Laser Institute, has been elected to the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences. "Dr. Berns is one of the most creative world leaders in basic and clinical laser research as it relates to medical diseases," said William E. Bunney, distinguished professor of psychiatry at the UCI College of Medicine. "This is certainly a significant honor."

UC Irvine's Beckman Laser Institute has received a $2.5-million grant from the Department of Defense to develop medical uses for laser technology originally designed for the Strategic Defense Initiative, known as "Star Wars." UCI researchers plan to use the three-year grant to modify powerful free-electron lasers to treat glaucoma, correct nearsightedness and improve in-vitro fertilization techniques.

The UC Irvine Beckman Laser Institute received the largest single contribution in the university's history as the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation of Corona del Mar presented the medical clinic with $6.2 million. The donation launches a campus-wide campaign that officials hope will bring in more than $200 million over the next few years. "This gift is most exciting because it assures the institute the funding necessary to remain at the forefront of laser biomedicine," said Dr.

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a three-year, $1.5-million grant to the UC Irvine Beckman Laser Institute to support medical research and clinical studies involving groundbreaking laser technologies. Institute Director Dr. Michael Berns said the grant will be used to continue efforts to ultimately transfer research and technical discoveries into new diagnostic and treatment procedures.

Spotlight on achievers Arlene Cheng, Dorothy Strauss, Eric Nelson, and Dr. Michael Berns UC Irvine They were awarded the UCI Medal, the university's highest honor, at recent ceremonies at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel. Arlene Cheng, a music educator, is a leading benefactor of UCI and the performing arts. In 1990, the auditorium of the Irvine Barclay Theatre was named Cheng Hall in recognition of Arlene and husband George Cheng. Eric Nelson, founder of Nelson Research and Development Co.

Like many cutting-edge enterprises these days, UC Irvine's laser surgery clinic has lots of fancy equipment that isn't making much money. The clinic, at the Beckman Laser Institute on the university's Irvine campus, is trying to boost its revenue by linking up with Mattan Corp., a Des Plaines, Ill.-based company that promises to provide doctors and patients to increase the use of the clinic's state-of-the-art lasers. The clinic will be paid for each procedure performed.

The Beckman Laser Institute, a private medical research organization closely affiliated with UC Irvine, has entered into partnership with the University of Southern California to compete for a $15-million federal grant to develop a new laser technology. USC officials confirmed that there have been discussions about relocating the institute, which now leases property on the UCI campus, to Los Angeles.

The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation of Corona del Mar has pledged $1.5 million to a UC Irvine laser-research facility named in their honor. The $1.5 million will be used by the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic at UCI to attract additional research scientists, university officials said. "This gift from the Beckman Foundation is particularly meaningful at this stage of development in laser research," said Dr. Michael Berns, professor of surgery and director of the institute.