PHOTO CREDIT: Kris Snibbe/Harvard Public Affairs & Communications
Biomedical Research
Our funding for biomedical research seeks to expand discoveries of genomic medicine. We fund research at the frontiers of molecular biology that could lead to important breakthroughs for clinical practice.
We also support talented scientists in the early stages of their careers, or “young investigators.” We invest resources in an effort to keep young investigators engaged in research instead of clinical practice only. Our hope is that our support launches or boosts a scientist’s career, which leads to funding from other sources to sustain his or her work.
“When my daughter was in medical school, she found that many of the smartest kids in the class wanted to go into research but couldn’t because the NIH no longer funded young investigators as they had in the past. Here we were on the cusp of major, life-changing advancements in biological sciences and our brightest young minds couldn’t afford to make them because of debt from college and medical school. I said ‘we’ve got to find a way to help'.” - LOUIS V. GERSTNER, JR.
Featured Grantee
Mayo Clinic
Founded in 1864, Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. For over two decades, Gerstner Philanthropies has partnered with Mayo Clinic to empower the work of young investigators and fuel pioneering advancements across diverse research initiatives.
In 2007, Gerstner Philanthropies established the Gerstner Family Career Development Awards in the Center for Individualized Medicine, providing crucial funding for early-career investigators to advance research in personalized medicine. To date, the program has committed $6.4 million to nearly 30 investigators. In 2018, Gerstner Philanthropies granted $10 million across multiple Mayo Clinic programs, including research into regenerative medicine and an award program for outstanding nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Gerstner Philanthropies’ most recent $25 million endowment supports the Gerstner Scholars Program in AI Translation at Mayo Clinic. Through this program, junior and early-career clinicians and clinical investigators will collaborate with leading experts in artificial intelligence (AI), data science and informatics to drive breakthrough cures for patients. Over the next decade, the Gerstner Scholars Program will provide critical funding and dedicated time for more than 90 clinicians to pursue high-impact projects that lead to practice-changing advancements in healthcare through the strategic and ethical application of AI.. To learn more, please visit mayoclinic.org.
Our Grantees
Major Biomedical Research Grants
Grants listed below may be from the Gerstner Family Foundation or another Gerstner family philanthropic vehicle. Amounts may reflect cumulative annual grants or multi-year grants. To see annual amounts, please see listings of grants paid each year.
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American Museum of Natural History
New York, NY | Visit Website
To establish the Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Collections Core at the museum's Gilder Center.
$10,000,000
To fund the Gerstner Scholars Program in biological research.
$6,655,000
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Broad Institute
Cambridge, MA | Visit Website
To support the work of the Gerstner Center for Cancer Diagnostics.
$20,000,000
To establish the Gerstner Center for Cancer Diagnostics.
$15,000,000
To fund the Cancer Drug Resistance Project.
$10,000,000
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Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN | Visit Website
To support the Gerstner Scholars Program at Mayo Clinic: Translating AI Innovations to Clinical Practice
$25,000,000
To fund five initiatives across the Clinic, including research in the use of augmented human intelligence in cardiovascular care, care for arthritis and spine pain using regenerative medicine and data analytics, the Gerstner Family Career Development Award
$10,000,000
To fund the Gerstner Family Career Development award in individualized medicine.
$3,750,000
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Columbia University Medical Center
New York, NY | Visit Website
To fund the Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Scholars Fund.
$11,000,000
To establish the Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Clinical Research Center in Vision.
$2,500,000
To fund the faculty development fund in Ophthalmology.
$200,000
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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY | Visit Website
To establish the Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Physician Scholars Program.
$25,000,000
To establish the Gerstner Sloan Kettering School of Biomedical Sciences.
$15,000,000
To establish the Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Young Investigator awards.
$5,000,000
Biomedical Research News
