January 29, 2016

Philanthropic gifts build on GRA's investment in capacity

It’s well known that GRA’s strategic investments in talent and infrastructure help Georgia’s universities secure major federal research grants.

But this leverage also applies to private funding sources, as evidenced by two philanthropic gifts announced this month to strengthen university research.

The first was made by the Marcus Foundation — a $15.7 million grant to Georgia Tech to launch a research center that will develop ways to manufacture high-quality living cells used in cell-based therapies. The new Marcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing (MC3M) will help ensure consistent production and quality testing for the living cells, which have great therapeutic potential.

The $23 million center is believed to be the first of its kind in the U.S., and Georgia Tech provided funding from other sources in addition to GRA’s investment.

The recruitment of an internationally recognized leader in cystic fibrosis research was the second example of how a GRA-related investment can help attract a private gift. GRA Eminent Scholar Eric Sorscher arrived at Emory University last year; a gift from Eva and Charles Lipman announced this month will contribute substantially to his efforts to develop new treatments and pursue a cure for CF.

“A cross-section of funding sources is essential to efforts to expand research capacity at our universities,” said Susan Shows, GRA’s Senior Vice President. “By making precisely targeted investments in top scientists and sophisticated technology, GRA gives our state’s public and private universities a crucial element that’s often needed to build wider, deeper support.”
More on the new Marcus center >
More about the Lipman gift at Emory >