Mass General Brigham (MGB) has received a $50 million gift that will shape the future of cancer care and discovery by empowering the next generation of gene and cell therapy research. The gift, made by anonymous donors, will advance clinical research by experts at Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute and throughout the system, to deliver life-changing treatments for patients with cancer and other diseases.
Mass General Brigham is accelerating progress to advance its bold vision for the future of cancer care, building research and clinical spaces, elevating quality to save more lives every year, and investing in a multidisciplinary approach to care that places patients at the center. With this gift, the system will build on its national leadership in research by continuing to fund physical spaces, experts and programs that support gene and cell therapies. This includes facilities for apheresis and a cell pharmacy.
With the power of the nation’s largest hospital-based research enterprise, Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute is shaping the future of cancer care through research, including gene and cell therapies. Mass General Brigham researchers recently announced exciting results of a clinical trial using CAR T-cell therapy to treat glioblastoma.
Gene therapy involves the use of genetic material to affect how cells produce proteins which may more effectively fight disease or reduce its presence. Cell therapy derives from the use of intact human cells—from a patient or donor—that replace or repair damaged cells to help fight disease. These treatments have also transformed care for patients with leukemia and other cancers, and show great promise in treating lung diseases, autoimmune diseases, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, spinal cord injuries and more.
The anonymous donors make this commitment with deep gratitude for the compassionate and expert care provided by staff across Mass General Brigham. Accordingly, their gift will invest in physician-scientists who are transforming genes and cells into living treatments and support the recruitment of global leaders in the field.
“Our gratitude for this transformative support cannot be overstated,” says David F. M. Brown, MD, President, Academic Medical Centers, Mass General Brigham. “To cure disease and alleviate suffering, we must equip the world’s best minds with the support to push the boundaries of science. This gift gives our experts the critical resources they need to drive research and turn aspiration into life-saving innovations. We are profoundly grateful to these generous supporters who are so deeply committed to our Mass General Brigham community.”
To further harness the dedication and talents of Mass General Brigham clinicians and researchers, the gift will also fund clinical trials for emerging gene and cell therapies across multiple diseases, helping to bring promising new treatments to patients as quickly as possible.
“Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute is home to thousands of experts, who every day drive new breakthroughs and innovations to transform care and save lives. This support represents a remarkable opportunity to redefine the future for diseases once deemed incurable including cancer and autoimmune disease,” said David Ryan, MD, President, Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute. “It will help us expand our infrastructure, support our world-class talent as they harness the power of the immune system, and accelerate groundbreaking research—bringing hope and healing to patients and families around the world.”
About Mass General Brigham
Mass General Brigham is an integrated academic health care system, uniting great minds to solve the hardest problems in medicine for our communities and the world. Mass General Brigham connects a full continuum of care across a system of academic medical centers, community and specialty hospitals, a health insurance plan, physician networks, community health centers, home care, and long-term care services. Mass General Brigham is a nonprofit organization committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. In addition, Mass General Brigham is one of the nation’s leading biomedical research organizations with several Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals. For more information, please visit www.massgeneralbrigham.org.
To learn more about how you can support gene and cell therapy research at Mass General Brigham, please contact us.
