Jefferson Names Kimmel Cancer Center

Thomas Jefferson University recently named its world-renowned cancer center and cancer research institute the Kimmel Cancer Center of Jefferson Medical College and the Kimmel Cancer Institute, in recognition of a $10-million grant from The Sidney Kimmel Foundation.

The gift from the foundation established by Philadelphia entrepreneur and philanthropist Sidney Kimmel will support ongoing research programs as well as create an endowment fund to ensure the continuation of Jefferson's pioneering cancer research. Jefferson's cancer center has earned international recognition for its basic research discoveries and their rapid translation into cancer treatments for patients.

"I am thrilled by this pacesetting commitment to help Jefferson fight the war against cancer by enhancing our ability to carry out vital research," said University president Paul C. Brucker, MD.

Mr. Kimmel, founder and chairman of the Jones Apparel Group, a leading women's clothing manufacturer, is a longtime supporter of medical causes in the Delaware Valley. He is a board member of Rowan House, a transitional residence for formerly homeless women and children, and helped initiate "Friends Like Me," a support program for women with breast cancer. A generous benefactor of the arts in Philadelphia, Mr. Kimmel is a board member of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

"Our scientists need as much support as possible to zero in on the causes of cancer and develop new treatments," said Joseph S. Gonnella, MD, senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of Jefferson Medical College. "Sidney Kimmel's generosity and commitment to Jefferson give us great momentum in our efforts to halt this devastating disease."

A grant of such major proportions enables the University to move forward with its groundbreaking cancer research projects and also supports the cancer center's operation. Established in 1991, the cancer center at Jefferson is considered one of the leading clinical and basic cancer research institutions in the nation. The National Cancer Institute recently recognized it as one of only 54 officially designated cancer centers in the United States.

"There's much more to be done," said Carlo M. Croce, MD, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center of Jefferson Medical College. "This grant allows us not only to sustain our progress, but also to probe new approaches and develop even more expertise in defeating cancer."

The geneticists, molecular and structural biologists, virologists, immunologists and biochemists at the newly dedicated Kimmel Cancer Center rank among the world's leading cancer investigators. Working with their colleagues at Jefferson Medical College and clinicians at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Inc., they are developing a formidable multidisciplinary program against malignant disease in all its variants. Already, they have isolated genes involved in leukemias and lymphomas and in digestive-tract malignancies. Jefferson researchers have also been successful in creating a vaccine to combat melanoma, an especially deadly form of skin cancer. These breakthroughs, in concert with early detection and innovative treatment, are saving lives.