Pitt, UPMC Announce $30 Million Henry L. Hillman Foundation Gift to the Hillman Fellows for Innovative Cancer Research Program
Pitt Chancellor Patrick Gallagher said the new contribution — $3 million per year for 10 years — will advance the mission of researchers at Pitt and the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center to cultivate novel cancer discoveries that improve care for patients around the world.
Gallagher announced the new contribution Wednesday at the University’s Board of Trustees meeting.
“This remarkable gift, which will drive cancer research and discoveries, extends the life-changing philanthropic commitment and innovative vision that are the shining hallmarks of Henry and Elsie’s great legacy,” said Gallagher. “On behalf of the many University of Pittsburgh researchers and clinicians who are devoted to leading the way in cancer treatment and research, I want to thank the Henry L. Hillman Foundation for their ongoing and outstanding support.”
The Hillman Fellows program started in 2004 with a $20 million contribution from the late philanthropists Henry and Elsie Hillman. The program provides “seed” funding to scientists and encourages partnerships with young researchers to cultivate novel anti-cancer methods that improve cancer treatment, detection and prevention worldwide. Since its inception, the Hillman Fellows program has directly supported the research of more than 100 scientists. The new funds also will be used to accelerate high-priority scientific research, such as linking novel cancer genomics and immunology to personalized patient care.
“The Fellows program has accelerated the move of cancer research from the bench to the bedside and helped to establish the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center as a model for others around the world,” said Stanley Marks, M.D., chairman of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, which is one of the largest treatment networks in the country with more than 50 locations. “We have been able to recruit world-class cancer researchers and financially support their groundbreaking efforts, all because of the vision of Henry and Elsie Hillman.”
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