| October 07, 2008 | Media contact: Kara Gavin E-mail: kegavin@umich.edu Phone: 734-764-2220 |
Alfred Taubman announces new $22M gift to U-M
Surprise announcement of planned bequest comes at stem cell symposium
A. Alfred Taubman
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Just over one year ago, retail pioneer A. Alfred Taubman announced a $22 million gift to the University of Michigan, to endow a new research institute aimed at understanding, treating and preventing human disease.
Today, at the institute’s first symposium, he did it again – by announcing that he will bequeath an additional $22 million to the University for the institute’s endowment.
The surprise announcement came during a symposium on stem cells, the first major event held by the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute.
“Over the past year, I’ve been impressed by the energy and ingenuity that the institute’s scientific teams have displayed,” says Mr. Taubman. “I hope this additional gift will ensure that this type of highly promising activity continues for decades to come at U-M.”
Although the new gift is a bequest, it will eventually join the institute’s existing endowment to help fund the research of future Taubman Scholars. Each scholar will be a top U-M scientist selected from the U-M Medical School faculty, with new ones selected at regular intervals.
The first five Taubman Scholars, including Taubman Institute director Eva Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., were named at the time of the institute’s founding. Each was selected for his or her remarkable creativity and research that holds the potential to significantly advance the development of a cure or preventive treatment for a human disease.
“We’re tremendously grateful for this visionary support, which will make possible the type of research that can only be done when scientists and their teams have true freedom to explore the most promising avenues and pursue the most tantalizing leads,” says Robert Kelch, M.D., U-M executive vice president for medical affairs.
“Al Taubman’s generosity and commitment to the University allow us to deepen our commitment to improve the health and well-being of society. His faith in our research provides the difference that separates the University of Michigan from other institutions,” says U-M President Mary Sue Coleman.
Currently, the five Taubman Scholars are receiving $200,000 per year for three years, for their laboratory teams to use in the pursuit of new knowledge. The scholars also serve as advocates for research, by taking part in U-M efforts to educate the public about the importance of biomedical research, and of public and private support for such research. Today’s stem cell symposium is among those efforts.
“In today’s climate of uncertain federal funding for science, especially for high-risk, high-reward research, it’s truly gratifying to have a donor like Al Taubman who understands the need and has both the foresight and means to fill that need,” says U-M Medical School dean James O. Woolliscroft, M.D.
Mr. Taubman, who attended U-M, has been one of the institution’s most generous supporters, with lifetime giving of more than $60 million before today's newly announced bequest. More than $56 million of that amount has been given as part of the University’s $2.5 billion Michigan Difference campaign, which concludes in November.
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