Roy and Diana Vagelos Make Historic Gift to Biomedical Science Research and Education
Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:
We are deeply honored to announce today a new $400 million gift from Roy and Diana Vagelos, which will secure Columbia’s leadership in biomedical science research and education and produce a vast array of compelling opportunities for improving society’s health and wellbeing. The gift is the single largest ever made to our medical school and, taken together with their previous giving, establishes Roy and Diana as the most generous donors in the history of Columbia University. It is a remarkable distinction, one that warrants recognition and our enduring gratitude. For all of us who know Roy and Diana, however, we can state confidently that at this moment they would urge us to focus not on them but on the design and purposes of this gift, the ways in which it will complement and accelerate previous initiatives they have funded, and the work required to harness science and education to alleviate human suffering and advance society.
A principal function of this gift will be to significantly expand the mission of the Vagelos-funded institute created last year. The Roy and Diana Vagelos Institute for Basic Biomedical Science will now provide the infrastructure to unite cutting-edge research taking place in our basic science departments, our leading medical and graduate education programs, and the exemplary research initiatives in our clinical departments in a new dynamic organizational model. By assembling this mix of mutually reinforcing activities, we seek to build the world’s foremost ecosystem for biomedical research and to attract the next generation of exceptionally creative and collaborative scientists able to realize this vision.
The gift we announce today also will support construction of the new biomedical research building, to be known as the Vagelos Innovation Laboratories, at 167th Street and Audubon Avenue, on the Washington Heights medical campus. This facility will provide more than 55,000 square feet of new laboratory space. We are also immensely proud of the fact that this new building will be a model of sustainability: the very first fully-electrified, university-owned laboratory building in New York City.
Roy and Diana’s generous gift also provides major support for the medical school’s programs in cell engineering and gene therapy and will expand innovative collaborations that harness recent breakthroughs and new technologies. Research to advance these next-generation therapies will revolutionize treatment for a wide variety of diseases ranging from disorders of the blood and immune system to cancers, metabolic disorders, and inflammatory, neurological, and cardiovascular conditions, representing a new paradigm in medicine.
It is truly awe-inspiring to envision the discoveries and new knowledge this gift will enable, in world-class laboratories bolstered by the resources and innovative structure of the Vagelos Institute.
The legacy of Roy and Diana Vagelos at Columbia University and in the world of philanthropic support for biomedical research and education was already well established before the announcement of this historic gift. They are unique benefactors guided by laudable values that became guiding principles for our school. Their sustained commitment to education, scientific research, and human health, in general—and to Columbia, in particular—is simply unmatched. The impact of their philanthropy will extend far beyond Columbia and be felt for generations to come. From the construction of the spectacular Vagelos Education Center, to the creation of a scholarship initiative that sparked a nationwide revolution to address affordability in medical education, it is difficult to conceive of our medical campus without their contributions. We take as a point of pride that our medical school bears the Vagelos name. This latest gift comes at a critical inflection point for the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. The confluence of fresh thinking about the future of basic and translational biomedical research from our brilliant faculty, a structured strategic planning effort aimed at strengthening VP&S, a thriving clinical practice embracing growth and innovation, and a bedrock institutional commitment to building a more equitable health care system, all make this an auspicious moment in the life of our institution.
In the weeks and months ahead, we will organize opportunities to express our gratitude to Roy and Diana and honor their commitment to supporting our students and faculty as they push the boundaries of science and medicine to advance equitable health. Indeed, Roy’s storied career as a physician, scientist, and executive in the pharmaceutical industry embodies a belief in the power of science and education to alleviate human suffering and improve society at large.
In the meantime, and on behalf of the countless students, faculty, and patients who will long benefit from their incomparable legacy, we want to express our deep appreciation to Roy and Diana, both for their truly visionary leadership and for their faith in Columbia, its people, and our shared future.
Sincerely,
Katrina A. Armstrong, MD
Interim President, Columbia University in the City of New York
Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences
Chief Executive Officer of Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Harold and Margaret Hatch Professor of the University
James M. McKiernan, MD
Interim Dean, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
CEO of ColumbiaDoctors
John K. Lattimer Professor of Urology and Chair of the Department of Urology