The Difference Made

A successful campaign moves Michigan forward

In 1898, an upstate New York physician who, so far as we know, never set foot in Ann Arbor, left a then-substantial bequest of $125,000 to the Medical School to establish the first endowed professorship anywhere in the University of Michigan. Why?

Every indication is that Elizabeth Bates, who earned her medical diploma from the Female Medical College of Philadelphia in 1854, appreciated Michigan’s admission of women to its medical school long before most other schools, and wanted to advance medicine for women and children at an institution she regarded as progressive, inclusive and open to new ideas.

Elizabeth Bates would be gratified at the phenomenal spirit of giving that has characterized The Michigan Difference campaign, which concludes at the end of 2008.

There is the Virginia couple who wants to advance a cure for type 1 diabetes, which has afflicted her for more than 50 years since her diagnosis by a Michigan physician. A family familiar with the ravages of depression wants a future of improved mental health for others. A former U-M Regent is grateful for the successful treatment of his critically ill twin boys. Michigan foundations dedicated to improving the health of our children and our children’s children, in Michigan and beyond, understood our need for modern facilities. Believers in the potential of stem cells to treat and cure disease want to better the future health of humankind. And scores of Michigan-educated physicians want to help ensure that future generations benefit as they did from studying medicine at Michigan.

The work this giving enables is equally remarkable. During the course of The Michigan Difference campaign, the nation’s first comprehensive depression center was established at the University. The W.K. Kellogg Eye Center is expanding and incorporating a premier collaborative center for type 1 diabetes research and information analysis. A triple-threat cardiovascular center was built and offers some of the nation’s foremost clinical care, research and education in diseases of the heart and vascular system. A medical research institute — sure to become a national and global leader — was established, which encourages the most innovative and promising science from our best physician-researchers in a wide range of human diseases and disorders. The new C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital, now under construction, will continue to provide some of the nation’s best children’s and women’s health care in facilities fully equipped for the 21st century. These are a few prominent examples of differences made during the campaign, but the list could go on.

Meanwhile, scientific discoveries ranging from how to regenerate auditory hair cells in mice to recognizing genetic mechanisms contributing to the cause of prostate cancer continue the march of research which underpins all of medicine.

With gifts large and small, those who supported The Michigan Difference wanted to be part of an institution that left an indelible impact on them in some way, and to make their own difference at Michigan. To enable the work of its students, fellows, residents, postdocs, researchers, faculty, physicians and staff, the U-M Health System raised more than $722 million. Ninety-three new professorships were endowed, 51 new endowed research funds were established, and 87 new endowed funds were created to suppport scholarships, fellowships and resident education.

The conclusion of The Michigan Difference marks a milestone, but in no way an ending. Challenges in medical education, biomedical research and patient care will continue to grow in scope, number and complexity. We aspire to eliminate the crushing costs a student accrues during four years of studying medicine. We strive to expand biomedical research efforts to yield discoveries which will improve well-being for generations to come. And we will always do everything within our power to ensure the best possible patient care from top physicians in facilities that offer the latest in technology and treatment options — medicine worthy of the label “Leaders and Best.”
—RICK KRUPINSKI

Alfred Taubman to Double Institute’s Endowment

At the first symposium of the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute, established last year with a $22 million gift from Taubman, the entrepreneur and philanthropist announced he will bequeath an additional $22 million to further fund the work of the institute.

The institute supports the innovative research of some of the Medical School’s top scientists with the goal of pursuing novel ideas and approaches to understanding, treating and preventing human disease.

The first five Taubman Scholars were selected at the time the institute was established. They are:

• Eva Feldman (Ph.D. 1979, M.D. 1983), director of the institute and a neurologist whose lab explores the use of stem cells and other unique approaches to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, and other neurological disorders;
• Valerie Castle, M.D. (Fellowship 1990), a pediatric cancer specialist researching strategies to make cancer cells self-destruct in the most common form of solid-tumor cancers in children;
• Max Wicha, M.D., a cancer researcher who reported the first finding of stem cells in a solid tumor — the small number of cells that fuel the tumor’s growth;
• Yehoash Raphael, Ph.D., a cell biologist developing ways to grow stem cells into auditory hair cells crucial to our ability to hear; and
• David Pinsky, M.D., a cardiologist who studies proteins involved in preventing the formation of clots within blood vessels.

“I’ve been impressed by the energy and ingenuity that the institute’s scientific teams have displayed,” says Taubman. “I hope this additional gift will ensure that this type of highly promising activity continues for decades to come at U-M.” —RK

Professorships Recently Inaugurated

The Harold A. Oberman Collegiate Professorship in Pathology was established, in part, through gifts in memory of Harold A. Oberman, M.D. (Residency 1961), upon his death in 2004, as well as the generosity of Marylen S. Oberman, Ph.D., who wanted to honor her husband. Harold Oberman was known internationally for his work in anatomic and clinical pathology; this professorship recognizes his numerous contributions to the U-M and the discipline of pathology. The first Oberman Professor is Celina G. Kleer, M.D. (Residency 1999), an associate professor of pathology. She was installed on June 20.

In 1994, a gift from the estate of U-M alumnus Reverend Parley C. Bingham and his wife, Florence Elizabeth Bingham, established two funds to foster research by the Medical School in the areas of heart, respiratory and kidney health. One of those funds has allowed the creation of the Florence E. Bingham Research Professorship in Nephrology. On August 7, the Medical School inaugurated the Bingham Professorship and installed Akinlolu O. Ojo, M.D. (Ph.D. 1995), a professor of internal medicine, as its first holder.

Maintaining a steadfast interest in the area of urological cancer research at the U-M, George and Sandra Valassis established the George F. and Sandra G. Valassis Professorship in Urology to support the activities of an outstanding tenured faculty member in the Department of Urology. Made possible through funding derived from the initial Valassis Endowment — which created the Valassis Professorship in Urologic Oncology in 1996 — the second Valassis Professorship was awarded to David P. Wood Jr. (M.D. 1983), a professor of urology and chief of urologic oncology. He was installed during an August 26 ceremony.

The Martha L. Ludwig Professorship in Protein Structure and Function was inaugurated on September 18. Established through a generous commitment from Frederic L. Hoch, M.D. — professor emeritus of internal medicine and biological chemistry and Ludwig’s husband of 45 years — it honors the life and career of Ludwig, who was the J. Lawrence Oncley Distinguished University Professor of Biological Chemistry and who died November 27, 2006. The first Ludwig Professor is Janet L. Smith, Ph.D., a professor of biological chemistry in the Medical School and a research professor in the Life Sciences Institute.

The Alice Lohrman Andrews Research Professorship was established through a generous gift from the TUKTAWA (pronounced “tucked away”) Foundation — a family philanthropic organization whose trustees, Charles J. Andrews, husband of Alice, and his sister Adelaide Andrews Ford, named the foundation for the family’s cottage in northern Michigan. Alice Andrews died in 1996 from complications of liver disease. The first Andrews Professor, installed October 2, is Anna Suk-Fong Lok, M.D., a professor of internal medicine and associate chair for clinical research in the Department of Internal Medicine.

A longtime friend of the Health System and a member of the Cardiovascular Center advisory board was honored October 23 with the inauguration of the Otto Gago, M.D., Professorship in Cardiac Surgery. Established through a generous gift from Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery Gago (Residency 1967), as well as donor gifts and departmental resources, the fund supports a tenured professor in the Department of Surgery. The first Gago Professor is Francis D. Pagani, M.D. (Residency 1996), Ph.D., a professor of surgery and director of the U-M Heart Transplant Program and the Center for Circulatory Support.

The Vincent Massey Collegiate Professorship in Biological Chemistry was inaugurated October 29 in a ceremony that paid tribute to the world-famous scientist who established Ann Arbor as a mecca for flavin research. Renowned internationally in the field of physical biochemistry, Massey created methodologies for studying flavoproteins that are widely used by scientists today. Massey died in 2002. Ruma V. Banerjee, Ph.D., associate chair and professor of biological chemistry, is the first Vincent Massey Collegiate Professor of Biological Chemistry. —KB