2013 Report of Donors THE POWER OF PARTN ERSHIP UMASS MEDICINE MATTERS UMass Medical School | UMass Memorial Health Care 7516_UMassCover.indd 1 1/21/14 10:32 AM UMass Medicine Annual Report of Donors Fiscal Year 2013 | July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013 News Highlights 2 Husband establishes scholarship as a legacy to his inspirational wife 4 Empowering New Discoveries Magnanimous donors create three endowed chairs at UMMS 5 Community Making a Difference Two fundraising golf tournaments mark 10-year milestones 12 Local college crusaders support breast cancer care and research 14 Honoring a life cut short by breast cancer 15 A family gives back after beating cancer 16 Region’s Rotary clubs join forces to outfi t NICU with webcams 18 Foundations Making a Difference Support for the UMass ALS Champion Fund continues 19 Supporting translation of basic science breakthroughs into medicines to treat human disease 20 John Merck Fund awards $1 million for UMMS research into Down syndrome 21 Reunion Class Gifts Campaign 2013 22 Notable Events 23 Our Donors 25 7516_UMassCover.indd 2 1/21/14 10:32 AM UMass Medicine 2013 Report of Donors 1 From the Leadership On behalf of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and UMass Memorial Health Care, thank you for believing in our mission and for endorsing our joint eff orts to improve the health and well- being of the commonwealth and beyond. Having the support of donors like you—individuals, community groups, corporations and charitable foundations—makes an extraordinary impact on the work we do together as an academic health sciences system. You are, indeed, our partners in the truest sense of the word. Each year, it fi lls us with great pride to highlight your inspiring dedication and commitment to our endeavors. Within the pages of this annual report for our 2013 fi scal year, you will learn how leadership-level gifts from charitable foundations are strengthening our efforts to bridge the gap between scientifi c discoveries and useable treatments by backing the build-out of laboratory spaces and funding critical translational research into developmental disabilities. You will understand how endowment gifts—the most enduring of investments—establish chairs in biomedical research, which serve to further the dynamic work of our innovative and dedicated faculty members who strive to bring cutting-edge research to bear on some of the most challenging human diseases of our time. You will see the impact that fundraising events, such as road races, walks, golf tournaments and charity dinners, have on our cancer care and research programs, as well as how community-focused organizations have supported the purchase and maintenance of new technologies in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Also, you will learn how contributions made today to scholarships are affecting tomorrow’s health care providers. It has been said before, but it bears repeating: the breadth and depth of your support is inspiring and is a critical factor to our success. We are extremely grateful to be the recipients of your generosity. Michael F. Collins, MD Chancellor, University of Massachusetts Medical School Senior Vice President for the Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Eric W. Dickson, MD, MHCM, FACEP President and CEO, UMass Memorial Health Care 7516_8x11.5_UMassMatters.indd 1 1/21/14 11:21 AM 2 UMass Medicine 2013 Report of Donors News Highlights FY13 July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013 A B Douglas T. Golenbock, MD Albert Sherman Center UMass Memorial Breast Center EphA4, these fi ndings suggest that of the House Robert DeLeo; UMass Receives NAPBC accreditation suppression of EphA4 may be a new President Robert Caret; Worcester In October 2012, the way to treat ALS. City Manager Michael O’Brien; Comprehensive Breast Center at Another consortium of 2006 Nobel Laureate Craig C. UMass Memorial Medical Center researchers at multiple institutions, Mello, PhD, Howard Hughes was granted a three-year, full including Dr. Brown and UMMS, Medical Institute investigator, the accreditation designation by the conducted promising new research Blais University Chair in Molecular National Accreditation Program for that provided evidence that ALS Medicine and distinguished Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program may be treatable using neural professor of molecular medicine administered by the American stem cells. Their studies showed and cell & developmental biology; College of Surgeons. NAPBC that neural stem cells, when and Albert “Albie” Sherman, to accreditation is only given to transplanted into the spinal cord mark the offi cial opening of the those centers that have voluntarily of a mouse model with familial Albert Sherman Center on Jan. committed to provide the highest ALS, slowed disease onset and 30, 2013. Speakers collectively level of quality breast care and progression while improving motor praised the collaborative effort that undergo a rigorous evaluation function, breathing and survival that allowed the building to process and review of their time compared to untreated mice. be envisioned, funded and performance. Receiving care at a A summary of these studies was constructed, and marveled at the NAPBC-accredited center ensures published online in December 2012 promise of transformative research that a patient will have access to in Science Translational Medicine. and education that will take place comprehensive care, including within the building’s walls. A a full range of state-of-the-art Scientists establish link C services; a multidisciplinary team between infl ammatory process, UMass Memorial Health Care approach to coordinate the best Alzheimer’s names new president and CEO treatment options; information In December 2012, an inter- The largest health care system about ongoing clinical trials and national team of researchers in Central New England and the new treatment options; and quality led by Douglas T. Golenbock, clinical partner of UMass Medical breast care close to home. MD, professor of medicine and School announced on Feb. 6, 2013, microbiology & physiological that Eric W. Dickson, MD, MHCM, Two important ALS research systems, and his colleagues showed FACEP, had been named as its breakthroughs made that an immune and infl ammatory new president and chief executive A study published in Nature process already established as a offi cer. Dr. Dickson, who completed Medicine in August 2012 described clinical target for rheumatoid his medical degree and residency a discovery made by a team of arthritis plays an important role training in emergency medicine at scientists, including faculty at in the pathology of Alzheimer’s UMMS, succeeded John O’Brien in UMass Medical School, of a gene disease—meaning that drugs those positions. His appointment that infl uences survival time in used to disrupt production of the was effective on Feb. 25. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). pro-infl ammatory cytokine called The study, co-authored by Robert interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) may one UMass Memorial Health Care H. Brown, DPhil, MD, describes day be used to help patients with joins innovative payment how the loss of activity of a Alzheimer’s. program receptor called EphA4 substantially In February 2013, UMass Memorial B extends the lifespan of people Albert Sherman Center opens Health Care announced that it with the disease. When coupled Gov. Deval Patrick headlined a would participate in Blue Cross Blue with a UMMS study published in host of elected offi cials and other Shield of Massachusetts’ Alternative July 2012 in Nature identifying a dignitaries, including (now former) Quality Contract (AQC), a global new ALS gene (profi lin-1) that also Lt. Gov. Tim Murray; State Senate payment system designed to works in conjunction with President Therese Murray; Speaker encourage cost-effective, patient- 7516_8x11.5_UMassMatters.indd 2 1/21/14 11:21 AM UMass Medicine 2013 Report of Donors 3 C D E F Eric W. Dickson, MD Katherine Luzuriaga, MD Marc Freeman, PhD Gov. Paul Cellucci centered care. Under the four-year UMMS scientist named F Former Gov. Paul Cellucci agreement, which will begin in a Searle Scholar loses battle with ALS January 2014, physicians will be Eduardo M. Torres, PhD, assistant Former Massachusetts Gov. Paul paid for the quality, rather than professor of molecular medicine, Cellucci, a devoted public servant the quantity of care they provide. joined 14 other researchers who dedicated the fi nal chapter of They can also earn signifi cant across the country in the his life to raising funds to support performance incentives for chemical and biological sciences the University of Massachusetts adhering to nationally endorsed who were named 2013 Searle Medical School’s research into a quality, health outcome and Scholars. The Searle Scholars cure for ALS, died June 8, 2013, patient experience measures. Program makes grants to selected at his home in Hudson, Mass., academic institutions to support surrounded by family, from D Researchers describe fi rst the independent research of complications of the disease. ‘functional HIV cure’ in outstanding young scientists who an infant The announcement was made have recently been appointed as by Chancellor Michael F. Collins A team of researchers from assistant professors on a tenure- on behalf of the Cellucci family. UMass Medical School, the Johns track appointment. The recipients, Gov. Cellucci launched the UMass Hopkins Children’s Center and named in April 2013, were each ALS Champion Fund in 2011 after the University of Mississippi awarded $300,000 to support announcing that he had been Medical Center reported in March their work during the next three diagnosed with ALS. 2013 the fi rst case of a so-called years. Dr. Torres, a member of “functional cure” in an HIV- the program in gene function UMass Memorial Medical infected infant. The fi nding, and expression, became the third Center fi rst in state to implant a the investigators said, may help scientist at UMMS to be named a new kind of stent for treatment pave the way to eliminating HIV Searle Scholar.