The first BIC MRU Symposium was held at UC Davis in 2000, followed by UC Santa Barbara in 2001, UC Berkeley in 2002 , and UC San Diego in 2003 http://ucbmes.ucsd.edu/ , UC Irvine in 2004, and our most recent, UC Santa Cruz in 2005 http://ucbioeng2005.cbse.ucsc.edu/  http://currents.ucsc.edu/05-06/07-11/symposium.asp http://www.cbse.ucsc.edu/news/bioengsymp.shtml .  The MRU will continue to hold such symposia to be hosted by the different UC campuses with a rotation system. UC Los Angeles will host in 2006, UC San Francisco in 2007, UC Riverside in 2008, and UC Merced in 2009. Thereafter, the ten campuses will use the same rotation sequence such that each campus will hold the Symposia once per decade.

The MRU coordinates the special strengths and expertise in different areas in the UC system and the synergistic cooperation among campuses to create a coherent and cohesive network of shared information, resources, dissemination and public engagement. Over 160 faculty members and research scientists from the ten campuses have agreed to participate in the MRU. The integrative approach of the MRU will make the University of California the leader and the model in Bioengineering nationally and internationally.  It will lead to the advancement of new scientific knowledge that can be translated to industrial products and clinical medicine.  The resulting benefits to the economy in California and the nation, and to the health and wellbeing of our citizens and humankind will be invaluable.