Greek American Roy Vagelos and his wife, Diana, recently made an astounding $400 (€360) million donation to Columbia University.
This staggering donation by Greek American Roy Vagelos and his wife Diana is the largest ever made to the medical school of this prestigious academic institution in the United States.
The donation is expected to consolidate Columbia’s status as a true pioneer and leader in biomedical science research and education.
The donation of the Greek American Vagelos family shows their true passion for advancing science and medicine research, making them the most generous donors in the history of Columbia University.
Reason for the donation of the Greek American family to Columbia University
The primary focus of this staggering academic gift is the expansion of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Institute for Basic Biomedical Science. This institute was established last year, following another astonishing donation.
At that time, the Vagelos family offered $175 (€158) million to Columbia. The University said last year that the Institute will be home to PhD students pursuing the most creative, potentially disruptive ideas in biomedical science and will spur the training of more physician-scientists able to translate the latest paradigm-shifting discoveries into revolutionary new methods in patient care.
With a statement released upon confirmation of the donation, Columbia University said:
”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.”
A significant portion of the donation will be used to finance the construction of the Vagelos Innovation Laboratories. This building will house a state-of-the-art biomedical research facility at 167th Street and Audubon Avenue on the Washington Heights medical campus.
This new building will offer more than 55,000 square feet (5,110 square meters) of laboratory space and will be the “first fully-electrified, university-owned laboratory building in New York City.”
This generous donation of the Greek American Vagelos family to Columbia University will also be used for other projects. The University statement notes that the donation will “provide 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.”
This research will be fundamental in advancing “next-generation therapies,” which 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,” the American academic institution stated.
Thanking the Greek American Vagelos family, Columbia University said “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.”
Who is Roy Vagelos?
Pindaros Roy Vagelos was born October 8, 1929 in Westfield, New Jersey to Greek immigrants. He was president and chief executive officer (1985) as well as chairman (1986) of the American pharmaceutical company Merck & Co.
Since 1995, Vagelos has served as chairman of the board of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Earlier this year, Vagelos was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Dartmouth College.
