How You Can Help > How You Can Help Support Alzheimer's Research at Farber
How You Can Help Support Alzheimer's Research at Farber
Scientists at the Farber Institute for Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson University are tackling Alzheimer's disease on many levels, from understanding fundamental disease mechanisms to testing new drugs in clinical trials. Our overall mission is to translate basic neuroscience advances into novel therapies that can treat or prevent Alzheimer's. We are seeking funding to advance this mission through naming and endowment opportunities and program-specific grants to expand research in several key areas of investigation. Some of these opportunities are described below.
The Need
New therapies for Alzheimer's disease are urgently needed. Currently, 4.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, and the disease may strike 16 million by 2050 if nothing is done to stop it. Current Alzheimer's drugs provide only limited symptomatic relief at best and do not address the underlying disease progression. Treatment approaches that target beta amyloid, the toxic protein that builds up in the Alzheimer's brain, are among the most promising in development.
Research Excellence
The Farber Institute's founding director, Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D., is internationally recognized for his research on Alzheimer's pathology and drug discovery. In 1990, Dr. Gandy and his team, then at The Rockefeller University, discovered the first model drug that effectively decreased amyloid formation. Earlier this year, Gandy and his colleagues published findings from a monkey model for amyloid vaccination that received worldwide attention. The Institute's
Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, directed by Barry Rovner, M.D., is pursuing three of the first clinical trials in North America to test new drugs that specifically target amyloid.
See Alzheimer's Research at Farber for more details about these programs.
Recognition Opportunities
Gifts from private donors are essential to the Farber Institute's mission. To recognize these critical contributions, we have identified a number of funding priorities, at various gift levels, that honor donors or individuals of a donor's choosing with named facilities, endowments, or research awards. All scientific discoveries, publications, or media publicity generated from a named gift would carry the designated name in recognition. Please see below and accompanying chart summarizing these opportunities.
Institutional Transforming Gifts are gifts judged to have profound positive academic effects on the university, by their size and nature (e.g., a multi-million dollar gift to name a new research center). Such gifts are reviewed individually, following discussion with the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Thomas Jefferson University, the Director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, the President of the University, and the appropriate institutional boards.
Endowment Gifts are those gifts, grants or commitments whereby the gift principal is invested and only the income derived from the investment can be used for designated purposes. Minimum gift levels are required as described below and in the chart.
Named Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, Barry Rovner, M.D., Director
In recognition of a capital or endowed gift or grant of $4 million, the Center would be named for the donor (as in, the John Doe Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care ). Funds would support the Center's programs, faculty development, equipment, or resources as directed by the donor.
Named Endowed Chair/Presidential Endowed Chair
A contribution of $1.5 million or more will endow a named chair ($2 million or more for a named presidential endowed chair) of a research center or program within the Farber Institute (e.g., Barry Rovner, M.D., the John Doe Endowed Chair of the Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research & Care ). Funds will support the salary of the Chair in perpetuity and enhance research in a specific area of interest.
Named Fellow in Clinical Anti-Amyloid Medicine-Clioquinol Project
A gift of $300,000 to $500,000 would fund a clinical research fellow dedicated to the rigorous clinical testing of a promising therapy for Alzheimer's, the antibiotic clioquinol. Previous studies suggest that the drug can decrease deposits of beta amyloid (the protein that accumulates in the Alzheimer's brain) in animal models of Alzheimer's and slow cognitive decline in humans.
Named Alzheimer's Vaccine Unit
The recent development by Sam Gandy and colleagues of a monkey model for testing amyloid vaccination puts Farber in the forefront of efforts to develop a better Alzheimer's vaccine research. A gift level of $1 million or more would establish a named Alzheimer's Vaccine Unit within the Institute to advance this research (e.g., the John Doe Alzheimer's Vaccine Unit at the Farber Institute for Neurosciences).
Named Laboratory for Cholesterol/Amyloid Interactions
Gandy and his collaborators are unraveling the connections between cholesterol and amyloid, one goal of which is to determine how currently available cholesterol-lowering drugs might be harnessed or enhanced to treat Alzheimer's. A gift of $500,000 or more would establish a named Laboratory to advance and expand this program; a gift of $100,000 to $250,000 would support a Laboratory Head and faculty appointment to direct this research.
Named Endowed Research Award in Alzheimer's Genetics
The Farber Institute is engaged in cutting-edge research investigating how genetic missteps cause familial Alzheimer's, research that is also advancing understanding of the more widespread form of the disease. A gift of $100,000 would establish the John Doe Research Award in Alzheimer's Genetics, to support a promising young investigator in this area.
Supporting Clinical Trial of Promising New Treatment
The Institute is seeking $4 million over three years to fund a Phase I/II clinical trial of clioquinol, an antibiotic first used in the 1930's that seems to slow the progression of Alzheimer's. Previous studies suggest the drug can decrease deposits of beta amyloid in animal models of Alzheimer's and slow cognitive decline in humans. The Institute has already received approval from the FDA to initiate the trial and is poised to begin enrollment once proper funding is received. Contributions in support of this trial, which has the potential to yield the first disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's, would be recognized appropriately by naming an Alzheimer's research center or other facility for the donor or individual of donor's choosing.
Recognition Opportunities |
Funding Level |
Named Research Center
To support an existing facility or establish a new center within the Farber Institute (e.g., John Doe Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care at the Farber Institute for Neurosciences) |
$4 million |
Named Endowed Chair/Presidential Endowed Chair
To endow a Chair or Presidential Chair of a research center or program within the Farber Institute (e.g., Barry Rovner, M.D., the John Doe Chair of the Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research & Care). Funds support salary in perpetuity. |
$1.5 million to $2 million |
Named Unit
To advance and expand an existing research program with a dedicated unit within the Institute (e.g., John Doe Alzheimer's Vaccine Unit) |
$1 million |
Named Laboratory
To advance and expand an existing research program (e.g., John Doe Laboratory for Cholesterol/Amyloid Interactions ) |
$500,000 |
Named Endowed Fellowship
To support resident fellowships focused on a specific project or research area of focus at the Farber Institute (e.g., John Doe Fellowship in Clinical Anti-Amyloid Medicine-Clioquinol Project) |
$300,000 to $500,000 |
Named Endowed Faculty Award
To support faculty positions at the level of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Laboratory Head in a specific research area of focus (e.g., John Doe Asst. Prof. and Lab Head in Cholesterol/Amyloid Interactions) |
$100,000 to $250,000 |
Named Endowed Research Award
To support promising young investigators who are pursuing careers in Alzheimer's research (e.g., John Doe Research Award in Alzheimer's Genetics) |
$100,000 |
Brain Trust Wall of Honor
Donors at this level will be inducted into the “Brain Trust,” commemorated with a special plaque in the donor's name to be displayed prominently in the Institute's lobby, and receive invitations to select Institute events |
$25,000 to $50,000 |
Contact Us:
Please contact us
at FINgiving@jefferson.edu or at the numbers below to discuss these or other opportunities for helping us find a cure for Alzheimer's disease:
- Sam Gandy, Director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences: (215) 503-4200
- Flynn Andrizzi, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Thomas Jefferson University: (215) 955-6620
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