A new center for eye research and for a broad range of programs by the Jules Stein Eye Institute and the UCLA Medical Center will become the institute's third building. It will be named The Edie and Lew Wasserman Eye Research Center after two of UCLA's most generous donors.

"The Edie and Lew Wasserman Eye Research Center will have an enormous impact on the institute," said Bartly Mondino, director of the Jules Stein Eye Institute. "Not only will this center expand our existing facilities and programs, but it also will enable us to create revolutionary new programs in vision genetics and proteomics that will dramatically change the way we treat patients with eye diseases."

The Wassermans were honored at a gala Sept. 29 that raised more than $500,000 for faculty and programs in the new 100,000-square-foot center. The building, which is estimated to cost a minimum of $35 million, will be built across from the Doris Stein Eye Research Center in Stein Plaza.

"It was an incredible evening and a great way to begin to complete a wonderful legacy at UCLA," said Casey Wasserman, the couple's grandson. Underwriting the gala was The Oppenheimer Brothers Foundation, represented by H. Tony, Reed, Hal and Eric. The brothers are the grandsons of Jules and Doris Stein.

Stein was a board-certified ophthalmologist who founded Music Corporation of America (MCA) in 1924. Several years later, Lew Wasserman joined MCA, eventually succeeding Stein as chairman of the board. In 1960, Stein created the Research to Prevent Blindness Foundation. Wasserman later succeeded Stein as chairman of the board of the foundation. Wasserman is a founding member of the Jules Stein Eye Institute's Board of Trustees.

Over the years, the Wassermans have supported the university in many different ways, including a chair in ophthalmology, fellowships in film production, scholarships and a fund for undergraduate support.