Its primary research areas include cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, infectious diseases, inflammatory conditions, and childhood illnesses.

Sanford Burnham Prebys is one of seven fundamental research institutes in the United States operating an NCI-designated cancer centre.

Founded in 1976, the institute has expanded from a small building in West San Diego to a modern campus in La Jolla.

The institute collaborates with the Sanford Burnham Prebys Science Network and the Office of Education, Training & International Services to deliver comprehensive scientific career development programs.

[citation needed] In 2008, Sanford Burnham Prebys was awarded a $97.9 million grant by NIH to establish a high-throughput screening center.

The institute is home to six research centers: A partnership for the study of the biology of ageing that includes the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the University of California, San Diego is made up of Sanford Burnham Prebys and the San Diego Nathan Shock Center.

There are seven research programs at Sanford Burnham Prebys: Insights into the complex system of networks and mechanisms that tumors use to survive and proliferate.

Findings build dialogue with clinicians and physician scientists across the country and in neighboring institutions to ensure the translational and human relevance of the research.

Findings are translated into new therapies that improve protein folding and preserve cell function in diseases that have global health impact.

Using model organisms—mice, fish, flies, worms and human stem cells to Research of new genetic disorders and improving understanding of those with previous knowledge.

The graduate school is focused in biomedical research and is supplemented by the technologies developed to facilitate breakthroughs in medical practice.

Donations from the Whittaker Corporation and the California Foundation enabled the acquisition a five-acre site on the La Jolla mesa.

[6] In the 1990s, Institute scientists made important contributions to research on programmed cell death prominence with the discovery of several previously unknown pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins, namely caspases, IAPs, and Bcl-2 family members.

Reduced integrin function in malignant cells makes it possible for them to leave their original tissue and increased expression of anti-apoptotic proteins prevents anoikis, enabling cancer invasion and metastasis.

][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][excessive citations] Pioneering studies at the Institute showed that simple sugars such as D-mannose, L-fucose and D-galactose are effective therapies for a set of rare genetic disorders.