News Release: Research, Winship Cancer Institute

Oct. 22,  2009

Emory Winship Cancer Institute Receives $4.7 Million Anonymous Donation

News Article ImageEmory Winship Cancer Institute

It isn't every day that someone quietly leaves nearly $5 million for cancer research on your doorstep. Emory Winship Cancer Institute has received just such a gift - an anonymous donation of $4.7 million to fund key priorities.

"We are absolutely thrilled to receive this very generous gift," says Walter J. Curran Jr, MD, executive director of Emory Winship. "We believe the best way to show our appreciation is to invest in high impact projects that lead to advances in cancer research and care for all of Georgia and beyond."

According to Curran, the gift will serve as a fund from which institutional research grants will be distributed. Faculty members within Emory will submit grant proposals and an internal review committee will determine which grants will be funded. The priority areas fall into specific categories:

  • Recruitment of faculty researchers
  • Seed grants for scientific research projects
  •  Investigator-initiated clinical trials
  •  Development of Emory Winship's Survivorship Program
  • Mentoring opportunities for young physicians and investigators

    Curran says the opportunity to fund each of these areas supports critical needs within Emory Winship. He cites faculty recruitment as an example

    "It is a very competitive environment," says Curran. "We must be able to successfully compete for new faculty with the best institutions in the country. We work closely with the Georgia Cancer Coalition in recruiting physician researchers who believe in teamwork and cross disciplinary collaboration, and these funds will amplify those important initiatives."

    Fred Sanfilippo, MD, PhD, chief executive officer of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center, says, "This generous donor's investment in Emory Winship demonstrates the level of support that exists within Georgia for groundbreaking advances in cancer research. And on the heels of Emory Winship's recent National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Designation, this gift will help accelerate our positive trajectory in cancer research and care."

    Jessica Lucas, a seven-year breast cancer survivor, sees great opportunity in the gift. "This generous donation provides momentum for the faculty and staff at Emory Winship to continue to make progress toward better treatment options as well as improvements in the quality of life for every survivor," says Lucas. 

    ###

    The Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University is an academic health science and service center focused on missions of teaching, research, health care and public service. Its components include schools of medicine, nursing, and public health; Yerkes National Primate Research Center; the Emory Winship Cancer Institute; and Emory Healthcare, the largest, most comprehensive health system in Georgia. The Woodruff Health Sciences Center has a $2.3 billion budget, 17,000 employees, 2,300 full-time and 1,900 affiliated faculty, 4,300 students and trainees, and a $4.9 billion economic impact on metro Atlanta.

    Learn more about Emory’s health sciences:
    Blog: http://emoryhealthblog.com
    Twitter: @emoryhealthsci
    Web: http://emoryhealthsciences.org

File Options

  • Print Icon Print

Archives

Subscribe