First known as the Institute for Burn Medicine, the Burn Institute was founded in 1972 by a dedicated physician, Dr. Hugh Frank, and a group of community leaders.
One of the Institute’s first priorities was to establish the UCSD Regional Burn Center, which would provide specialized treatment for burn patients. The region’s first and only burn unit opened in 1973.
Since that time, the Burn Institute has donated more than one-million dollars to fund vital burn research and to purchase specialized equipment to treat burn patients. Funding has also been provided for patient census reports, which the Institute uses to create burn prevention strategies for the community.
Four decades later, funding burn research and treatment still remains a priority for the Burn Institute.