IRVINE : UCI Unit Wins U.S. Grant on Laser Uses

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.

Eventually, researchers will work with private companies to develop affordable lasers that can be used for health care, said Michael Berns, professor of surgery and director of the institute.