Larry Ellison, executive chairman of the board and chief technology officer at Oracle, has donated $200 million to establish the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine of USC, a new center in Los Angeles that will combine interdisciplinary research with the holistic prevention and treatment of cancer. Ellison will speak at USC’s commencement tomorrow and receive an honorary degree.
The $200 million donation will provide the lead investment for a state-of-the-art facility that will serve as the Ellison Institute's home. The building will house cancer research laboratories and an interactive care clinic. The institute's collaborative environment will include a think tank, education and outreach, and a wellness program.
David B. Agus, M.D., professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and USC Viterbi School of Engineering, will lead the institute. Dr. Agus currently leads the USC Center for Applied Molecular Medicine (CAMM). Under his guidance, CAMM's research focuses on the application of proteomics and genomics, integrating clinical trials, preclinical studies, and molecularly targeted therapy.
“It is an honor and a privilege to team up with Larry Ellison in the fight against cancer,” said Dr. Agus. “Larry understands the need for transformation in cancer care. His gift will enable us to change our approach to cancer research, treatment, and prevention. We will create a new paradigm, where patients and researchers have the opportunity to interact, and where research is not taking place in an isolated silo. I believe with Larry's support, we can advance our research to the next level, allowing the most effective treatments to benefit patients who are in urgent need of new therapies— today.”
Last month, Sean Parker, another technology entrepreneur, donated $250 million to create the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. That institute will bring together more than 300 researchers from 40 laboratories across the six cancer centers to develop cancer immunotherapies.
