Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research 15th Anniversary Celebration
IN MEMORY OF MARION O. SANDLER
Unconventional Wisdom: Advancing scientific discovery by breaking the rules MAY 23, 2013 Today, no other program in the world supports scientists like the Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research (PBBR). A beacon for the most courageous among UC San Francisco investigators, PBBR uses private philanthropy to fund only those ideas that challenge conventional wisdom and could never qualify for funding from increasingly conservative grant sources like the National Institutes of Health. This unique program dares our scientists to dig deeper, ask tougher questions, and invent novel approaches that defy the A sustained and solid attack is needed for opening up new types of status quo. Please join us in research. Support from the Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research gives interdisciplinary work a critically important jump start, celebrating the scientists and allowing new directions for collaborative groups not generally funded by federal research funds. I am profoundly grateful to the Sandler family, supporters who have made and to UCSF’s entire community of philanthropists, who make this PBBR’s success possible. visionary program possible.
Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD UCSF professor of biochemistry and biophysics Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2009 EVENT PROGRAM
OPENING REMARKS VIDEO TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF Keith Yamamoto, PhD MARION O. SANDLER Director, Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research PBBR FOUNDING PHILANTHROPIC PARTNER Executive Vice Dean, UCSF School of Medicine UCSF Vice Chancellor for Research REMARKS Herbert M. Sandler UNCONVENTIONAL WISDOM: Co-Founder, Sandler Foundation ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY BY BREAKING THE RULES CLOSING A CONVERSATION MODERATED BY Chancellor Desmond-Hellmann Michael Krasny, PhD Host, KQED Forum r RECEPTION TO FOLLOW FEATURING PANELISTS Joseph DeRisi, PhD Professor, UCSF Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, 2004 MacArthur Fellow Susan Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH The Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research provides a model for UCSF Chancellor, Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Distinguished Professor how to empower scientists to take calculated risks and reach for the stars, Alfred Gilman, MD, PhD enabling them to make the transformative discoveries that are the real Regental Professor Emeritus, UT Southwestern Medical Center engines of scientific advance. It is a much needed antidote to the current research funding mechanisms that reward conservative research and Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1994 avoid risk-taking, and penalize young investigators. As a grateful recipient Anita Sil, PhD, MD of one of the program’s grants back in the late 90s, I applaud UCSF for Associate Professor, UCSF Department of Microbiology and Immunology preserving and expanding this important funding mechanism. Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist Marc Tessier-Lavigne, PhD The Rockefeller University president and head of the Laboratory of Brain Development MODERATOR
Michael Krasny, PhD
Many of the most important scientific discoveries were Michael Krasny, PhD, is host of He is the recipient of many initially met with disbelief and even scorn. In such cases, KQED’s award-winning Forum, awards and honors, including philanthropic support is often critical so that scientists on a news and public affairs the SY Agnon Gold Medal the verge of a breakthrough can continue their work. The program that concentrates for Intellectual Distinction, world needs more fearless researchers who won’t take on the arts, culture, health, the Eugene Block Award for “no” for an answer. business, and technology. Human Rights Journalism, the Since 1970, Dr. Krasny has Inclusiveness in Media Award There are far too many people ready to tell young been a professor of English at from the National Conference scientists to give up on a new idea because it seems San Francisco State University for Community and Justice, and too ambitious, unproven, or audacious. Bold ideas are the very endeavors that the Program for Breakthrough and is a widely published a Koret Foundation Fellowship. Biomedical Research cherishes. UCSF is fortunate to scholar and critic, as well as a He has also been named have visionary funders like the Sandler family and former regular contributor to best talk show host by Focus others who understand the importance of high-risk Mother Jones magazine and magazine, a number of Bay research that can flourish when given the right a fiction writer. Dr. Krasny has Area newspapers, the San support. For this reason, PBBR provides much more interviewed many of the leading Francisco Publicity Club, and than just funding for our faculty – it also provides an newsmakers and cultural Citysearch. Dr. Krasny received even scarcer resource: scientific freedom. icons of our time, including his BA (cum laude) and MA Saul Bellow, former President degrees from Ohio University, Stanley Prusiner, MD Jimmy Carter, Cesar Chavez, where he is a member of UCSF professor of neurology Director, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases Noam Chomsky, Francis Crick, Phi Beta Kappa, and his PhD Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1997 John Kenneth Galbraith, Newt degree from the University of Gingrich, Jane Goodall, V.S. Wisconsin. Naipaul, Rosa Parks, Robert Redford, Salman Rushdie, Carl Sagan, Susan Sontag, Gloria Steinem, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. PANELISTS
Joseph Susan DeRisi, PhD Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH
Joseph DeRisi, PhD, is a viral diseases. In 2004, he Susan Desmond-Hellmann, She was listed among Fortune professor and vice chair of the was chosen for a MacArthur MD, MPH, became the ninth magazine’s “top 50 most Department of Biochemistry Fellowship for his development Chancellor of UCSF in August powerful women in business” and Biophysics, and a Howard of the technology that was 2009. An oncologist and for seven years and, in 2010, Hughes Medical Institute used to identify the SARS renowned biotechnology was inducted into the American Investigator. He employs an virus. In addition to being the leader, Dr. Desmond-Hellmann Academy of Arts and Sciences interdisciplinary approach to first Sandler Fellow at UCSF, a holds the Arthur and Toni and elected to the Institute his work, combining genomics, Searle Scholar, and a Packard Rembe Rock Distinguished of Medicine. In March 2013, bioinformatics, biochemistry, Fellow, Dr. DeRisi has received Professor appointment at Dr. Desmond-Hellmann and bioengineering to study the Heinz Award in Technology, UCSF. Prior to joining UCSF, was appointed to the board parasitic and viral infectious the Economy, and Employment, she spent 14 years at of directors of Facebook, diseases in a wide range of and was named an Eli Lilly Genentech. From 2004-2009, Inc. She also serves on the organisms. Dr. DeRisi was one and Company Research Award she served as president, board of directors of Procter of the early pioneers of DNA Laureate. He received a BA in Product Development. In this & Gamble, on the board of microarray technology and biochemistry and molecular role, she was responsible for directors of the Albert and whole genome expression biology (1992) from the Genentech’s pre-clinical and Mary Lasker Foundation, and profiling, and is nationally University of California, Santa clinical development, process as a trustee of the Howard recognized for his efforts Cruz, and a PhD in biochemistry research and development, Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. to make this technology (1999) from Stanford University. business development, and Desmond-Hellmann completed accessible and freely available. product portfolio management. her clinical training at UCSF Today, he uses this approach Dr. Desmond-Hellmann is the and is board-certified in to study the activity of the full recipient of numerous honors internal medicine and medical range of malaria genes and and awards. In November 2009, oncology. She holds a master’s has generated provocative Forbes magazine named her degree in public health from insights in many emerging one of the world’s seven most the University of California, “powerful innovators,” calling Berkeley. her “a hero to legions of cancer patients.” PANELISTS
Alfred Anita Gilman, MD, PhD Sil, PhD, MD
Alfred Gilman, MD, PhD, was characterized, and purified Anita Sil, PhD, MD, began her Biology, Developmental born in New Haven, Connecticut a set of guanine nucleotide- academic career as a Harvard Biology, and Genetics. She in 1941. He received his binding regulatory proteins University undergraduate, then completed her MD at BS (summa cum laude) in termed G proteins, for which studying biochemistry and UCSF and immediately started biochemistry in 1962 from he won a 1994 Nobel Prize. working in the laboratory her own lab as a Sandler Yale University, and his MD and His observations provided for of Jack Strominger. She Fellow studying the basic PhD in pharmacology in 1969 the first time a firm molecular then followed in her family’s biology of the fungal pathogen from Case Western Reserve basis for understanding certain footsteps by entering medical Histoplasma capsulatum. Dr. Sil University. He completed his signal transduction processes school at the University joined the UCSF faculty in the postdoctoral training in the present throughout nature. He of Michigan, but became Department of Microbiology and Laboratory of Biochemical was also the primary editor enamored with the idea of Immunology in 2003, where Genetics at the National (in 1980, 1985, and 1990) of pursuing a PhD at UCSF after she continues to investigate Institutes of Health (1969-71). the best known textbook of a transformative summer how eukaryotic pathogens In 1971, Dr. Gilman began a pharmacology, Goodman and research experience in the respond to environmental 10-year stay at the University Gilman’s The Pharmacological laboratory of Harold Varmus. Dr. stimuli and colonize of Virginia in Charlottesville. His Basis of Therapeutics. In 2004, Sil took a leave of absence from mammalian hosts. She is also positions in the Department of Dr. Gilman was named dean medical school after her second a Howard Hughes Medical Pharmacology included assistant of Southwestern Medical year, and completed a PhD Institute Early Career Scientist. professor (1971-73), associate School. In addition, in 2006 with Ira Herskowitz in UCSF’s professor (1973-77), and he became executive vice Tetrad graduate program, which professor (1977-81). In addition, president for Academic Affairs offers diverse training in the he was director of the Medical and provost of the University of Departments of Biochemistry Scientist Training Program Texas Southwestern Medical and Molecular Biology, Cell (1978-81). Dr. Gilman became Center. Dr. Gilman retired from chairman of the Department of UT Southwestern in 2009 to Pharmacology at the University assume the position of chief of Texas Southwestern Medical scientific officer of the Cancer Center at Dallas in 1981. He was Prevention and Research named a Regental Professor in Institute of Texas, a position he 1995. Dr. Gilman discovered, held until 2012. A TRIBUTE TO MARION O. SANDLER
Today’s program honors the memory of Marion O. Sandler, a their own savings and loan more effectively than others. For 43 pioneering businesswoman and philanthropist, who passed away years, the Sandlers served as husband and wife CEOs of Golden on June 1, 2012. Marion and her husband Herb have been two of West Financial Corporation, which grew from a tiny company UCSF’s greatest friends and supporters. Guided by Marion’s bold to become the second largest savings and loan in the country. and pioneering spirit – and her profound business acumen – the Golden West was a risk-averse residential mortgage portfolio Sandler Foundation has donated more than $100 million to UCSF, lender that kept its loans on its own books, had the lowest loan including the Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research, our losses in the industry over a 40-plus year period, and achieved groundbreaking neuroscience research and clinical care, innovative an unparalleled earnings record. Golden West was named Fortune asthma research, and much more. Patients everywhere have magazine’s most admired savings institution seven times, and benefited from the Sandlers’ generosity and passion for improving Morningstar named the Sandlers as CEOs of the Year in 2004. human health. Marion was among the first women CEOs of a Fortune 500 Marion Sandler grew up in Bidderford, Maine, the youngest of company and the longest serving. five children and the only daughter. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa Sandler Foundation, established in 1991, rigorously researches from Wellesley College in 1952, attended the Harvard Radcliffe opportunities and makes strategic general philanthropic Program in Business Administration, and earned her MBA from investments to support exceptional individuals and institutions. In New York University in 1958. Marion was the first woman to win addition to its support of UCSF, the foundation has helped launch the Money Marketeers Marcus Nadler Award and the first woman ProPublica, Center for American Progress, Center for Responsible executive hired at Dominick & Dominick, Inc., a 90-year-old Lending, American Asthma Foundation, and UC Berkeley Center for brokerage and investment banking firm known as the “Tiffany of Equitable Growth. The foundation has catalyzed the expansion and/ Wall Street.” She was one of only two women in professional jobs or improved operating capacity of many nonprofits, including the working on Wall Street. ACLU, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Human Rights Watch, Marion and Herb were married in 1961 and moved to California MDRC, Oceana, PLoS, and a center that designs innovative ways to in 1963 in their early 30s, with Marion convinced they could run provide high-quality health care at lower cost.
Congratulations to the Sandler Foundation for 15 years of Advising the Sandlers was easy, because their hearts and minds support of the outstanding Program for Breakthrough Biomedical were already in the right place, with excellence as the first and Research at UCSF. Advances ranging from innovation in drug foremost criterion for awards. All I had to do was to convince them development to fundamental biology have resulted from this initial that it was their good fortune to live in a community that housed discretionary support. This “seed” fund has leveraged millions one of the finest medical schools in the world. It was also helpful of dollars from other sources to create one of the leading and to remember not to wear socks with holes in them when attending most vibrant research communities in the world. Such excellence dinners at their beautiful residence. requires thoughtful, engaged philanthropists like yourselves. Alfred Gilman, MD, PhD Philip Sharp, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, UT Southwestern professor emeritus of pharmacology Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1994 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1993 The Sandler Foundation is doing an excellent job supporting Simply put, the PBBR Program at UCSF is doing extremely high quality biomedical research at UCSF. It focuses on the well. UCSF is the jewel in the crown of American medicine. quality of the individual and the originality of the research It is the greatest medical center in the country if not in the proposal, the twin pillars needed for research excellence. It is world...you could not be supporting any institution more really important to have engaged, committed philanthropists worthy or more important to the national effort in biomedical supporting outstanding activities such as this. sciences.
Paul Nurse, PhD Eric Kandel, MD President, Royal Society Columbia University professor of neuroscience Chief Executive and Director, Francis Crick Institute Co-Director, Mind Brain Behavior Initiative Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2001 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Senior Investigator Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2000
The Sandlers stand out to me for their willingness to support risky, creative science that doesn’t fit into ready- The Sandler family’s vision and commitment to support made categories. More importantly, they accomplish this by breakthrough biomedical research at an institution capable supporting scientists at all stages, from postdoctoral fellows of living up to that trust reveals a wisdom and appreciation of to senior investigators. Many philanthropic organizations what it takes to improve human health and eliminate disease. nowadays seek tight control of research projects, but the Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research gives Paul Berg, PhD scientists the freedom to develop their ideas and take new Stanford University School of Medicine professor emeritus of biochemistry directions that emerge over the course of their investigations. Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1980 I believe that this is why UCSF scientists have produced so many great discoveries – the return on the Sandlers’ investment has been enormous. The risk-taking research that fuels biomedical innovation is Huda Y. Zoghbi, MD presently in peril. Private philanthropy represents our best Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist hope to thwart this peril. The inspired and rigorous generosity Baylor College of Medicine professor, of the Sandler family has set a pathbreaking example for Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at others to follow. Texas Children’s Hospital director J. Michael Bishop, MD UCSF Chancellor Emeritus UCSF professor of microbiology and immunology Director, The G.W. Hooper Foundation Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1989 World-changing scientific discoveries, by definition, cannot be specified in advance. How, then, can society support scientists who offer no guarantee of success? The answer is to pick brilliant scientists, back them to the hilt, and hold them accountable for what they produce. Governments cannot take this risk. Far-sighted private investors like the Sandlers can. Their investments pay rich rewards, not to themselves, but to all humanity.
Michael S. (Mike) Brown, MD UT Southwestern professor of molecular genetics and internal medicine Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1985