Giving | Penn Medicine

Gifts from the Netter and Abramson Families Started Journey to Possible Cure
“Fifteen years ago, when I was told I had cancer, I was terrified,” says Mr. A. “My daughter was only nine years old. I could not bear the thought of not being there to see her grow up.”

Mr. A. and the other chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients who participated in Penn’s unique trial now have a chance at a cure, thanks to philanthropy. The journey began in 1999: The transformative giving of Madlyn and Leonard Abramson enabled Penn Medicine to recruit Dr. Carl June—lead investigator of the trial and pioneer in immunotherapy and cancer vaccine research.

Their support provided the resources and built the infrastructure needed for Dr. June to pursue his innovative research.

Although the National Institutes of Health (NIH) turned down his proposals, Dr. June’s work attracted the attention of the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT)—founded by Penn alumni Edward and Barbara Netter—and the Alliance played a key role in the success of immunotherapy’s journey.

“I am proud that ACGT funded this trial when no one else did,” said Mrs. Netter. “I think we’re on the cusp, perhaps, of a simple treatment that would take care of all cancers.”

“Who among us has not been touched by cancer? We know the devastation,” Mrs. Netter continued. “We have endured enormous personal loss in our families as a result of cancer, and we have seen so many others affected by the disease. The loss of our daughter-in-law was a seminal moment. We had to do something, and chose to devote our support to groundbreaking research on the source of cancer: the genes.”

Said Chi Van Dang, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Abramson Cancer Center, “Friends like the Abramsons and Netters are absolutely vital partners in getting novel, forward-thinking projects off the ground.”

Dr. June’s trial provides a tumor-attack road map for the treatment of other cancers, including those of the lung and ovaries as well as myeloma and melanoma. In fact, one family has already generously donated a $1 million gift to start a clinical trial using the same therapy in pancreatic cancer patients. Since the news of the CLL trial, Penn has received 5,000 enquiries about immunotherapy trials. With additional funding, these trials could be expanded, speeding potential cures from the bench to the patient’s bedside—and revolutionizing cancer treatment.

$80 Million Year-End Total Is Best Since 2005, Brings New Research Programs, Chairs, and Scholarships to the Perelman School

Since arriving at Penn, Dean J. Larry Jameson, M.D., Ph.D., has joined forces with alumni, friends, and faculty to reach significant milestones for the Perelman School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania Health System. For the Campaign, the $81.4 million calendar year-end total (raised from July-December) represented an extraordinary first half to the fiscal year, and philanthropic support has surpassed $1.2 billion. At the same time, the news of research and surgical breakthroughs long in the making, distinguished new department chairs, and a superb entering medical student class arrived. Penn Medicine continues to be a leading force in medicine and to convert fundraising success into actions, recruitments, programs, and ideas that bring meaningful change to medicine.

Penn Medicine Announces Two Significant, Donor-Funded Research Programs
Thanks to anonymous multimillion-dollar gifts Penn has launched the Neuroscience of Behavior Initiative and the Penn Center for Orphan Disease Research and Therapy. Led by Brian Strom, M.D., MPH, the Neuroscience of Behavior Initiative will add stellar new talent to the areas of addiction, depressive disorders, and neurodegenerative disease. “The donor’s goal is to alter the course of these diseases,” said Dr. Strom, who is the Executive Vice Dean for Institutional Affairs. The first-in-kind Center for Orphan Disease Research and Therapy will provide critical scientific and administrative support to the often underfunded programs that address rare illnesses—at Penn and beyond. “There’s simply nothing else like it. It’s a powerful new resource to fight diseases that are devastating to millions of families around the world,” said Glen Gaulton, Ph.D. Dr. Gaulton, the Executive Vice Dean and Chief Scientific Officer at the Perelman School, provided guidance to the founding donor.

Dean Jameson Welcomes Select Class of 2015

With its phenomenal rankings and research funding, the Perelman School of Medicine drew nearly 6,200 applicants this year. At the White Coat Ceremony in August, Dean Jameson greeted the 166 new students, “Physicians really are students for life, and that’s what makes medicine such a wonderful profession.” The entering class received more financial aid than any other class so far. Since the Campaign started, student financial aid has more than doubled to $10.3 million, with 55% of students now receiving support.

New Faculty Leaders Add Compelling Ideas to Penn Medicine

Philanthropy helps Penn attract top academic talent—because these leaders know their vision and ideas will get support that can’t be found anywhere else. Among Penn Medicine’s new leaders—a nationally-renowned expert in cancer genetics, a pathologist who is starting an innovative clinical diagnostic program in personalized medicine, and a pioneer in pediatric emergency medicine. You can learn more about our new chairs inside this issue of Impact. Shown right: Abramson Cancer Center Director Chi Van Dang, M.D., Ph.D., Leonard and Madlyn Abramson, and former ACC director Dr. John H. Glick.

Alumni and Friends Take Participation and Fundraising to New Levels
Nearly 350 volunteers have joined Penn Medicine’s advisory boards,

offering guidance and support to the Perelman School, the Abramson Cancer Center, the Institute on Aging, the Penn Cardiovascular Institute, Women’s Health, and more. In addition to setting an impressive pace for the first half of the fiscal year, Penn Medicine alumni and friends turned out for a record number of meetings, events, dinners, and receptions to hear what is happening at Penn Medicine and to exchange ideas with our leadership and faculty. Shown right: Rosemary Mazanet, GR’81, M’86, Chair of the Penn Medicine Campaign and Co-Chair of Penn’s Making History Campaign, with Dean Jameson.

Dr. Michael D. Cirigliano, M’90, INT’93, wants to increase his mentorship of medical students, to raise their appreciation of internal medicine and of the human element in medicine.

One of Penn Medicine’s most public faces, Dr. Michael D. Cirigliano, M’90, INT’93, is widely known as “Dr. Mike” through his twice-weekly spot as medical expert for Fox 29 News and his weekly call-in to 610 AM WIP radio. He has developed a large, devoted following for his approachable demeanor and humor, boundless energy, and, most importantly, dedication to his patients.

“I want each and every person who comes through the door of my office to feel that they are appreciated and respected,” said Dr. Cirigliano. I believe that better medicine comes from a patient experience that is founded on comfort and trust.”

Dr. Cirigliano accepts calls from his patients at any hour, and he is a crusader for primary care physicians. “We are the first line of defense against illness and disease,” he noted. “We work to prevent illness, not just treat it. I hope to see this area of medicine fully realize its promise.”

In recent years, support from his patients has enabled Dr. Cirigliano to pursue his ideal of clinical excellence more fully. While a small part of Dr. Cirigliano’s patient base, affluent patients have funded improvements to the office and expansion of staff and services that benefit all in his busy practice.

For instance, the exam rooms in the office are designed for optimal comfort and medical practice. Tables, equipment, and seating have been arranged so that the doctor’s back will never be toward patients.

Staff additions include receptionists and a nurse practitioner to help ensure that all patients are attended to quickly.

Looking ahead, Dr. Cirigliano seeks to add a full-time nutritionist to his practice to help patients combat obesity, which is linked to chronic and life-threatening illness. He also wants to increase his mentorship of medical students, to raise their appreciation of internal medicine and of the human element in medicine.

Many of his patients are contributing toward an endowed associate professorship in the Department of Medicine in Dr. Cirigliano’s honor. They intend to reach the $1.5 million goal by seeking smaller gifts from many donors.

With $1 million raised so far, they are hopeful of counting the chair among the 40 added in the Making History Campaign.

Penn Medicine Developing New Option for Veterans and Others Facing Loss of Extremities

“Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) is the most advanced reconstructive surgery that can be performed,” said L. Scott Levin, M.D., F.A.C.S., founder and Director of the Penn Hand Transplant Program. Dr. Levin, the Chair of Penn Orthopaedics, was the surgical lead on Penn Medicine’s first bilateral hand transplant, performed last September.

Penn Medicine joins an elite group of only three U.S. medical centers that have successfully completed this complex operation, and at an important time. The U.S. Health Resources Services Administration said in December that it wants to begin regulating face, hand, and other transplants in the same manner as organ transplants, citing growing demand and, “the powerful impact these transplants can have to improve the quality of life for individuals with grievous disabilities.”

VCA offers new hope for millions of people who seek better alternatives to prosthetics after losing extremities to injury, infection or birth defects, including hundreds of military veterans with serious burns, facial injuries or limbs lost in combat. The emerging technique allows surgeons to transplant body parts such as hands and faces by painstakingly reattaching multiple types of tissue including skin, muscle, cartilage, nerves, and blood vessels.

Dr. Levin’s 28-year-old patient, was constantly frustrated by the limitations of her prosthetic arms, although she had learned to run on her prosthetic legs. A fashion show producer and teacher who has lectured on body image, she lost her hands and feet to amputation due to sepsis. Since the surgery, she has thrived despite grueling physical therapy.

Her double transplant required years of planning and multidisciplinary cooperation. “This type of surgery is so new, so intricate, and involved such a large team that we literally created a master playbook to prepare for it,” said Dr. Levin.

“Penn has incredible expertise in every domain and all of Penn Medicine came together to make this work,” said L. Scott Levin, M.D., F.A.C.S., Chair of Penn Orthopaedics and Director of the Penn Hand Transplant program.

Philanthropy has a vital role to play in making this leading-edge therapy more available. Support is needed to cover costs of performing and improving these procedures while they are becoming accepted in the health care industry. More physicians will require training in VCA as well.

Perhaps most importantly, the next major research challenge lies in finding new ways to prevent recipients from rejecting transplanted tissue.

“The immunosuppressant drugs that transplant patients are still required to take for life pose a serious risk to their health,” said Dr. Levin. “By discovering new ways to reduce that burden, through drug discovery, gene therapy, bone marrow transplant or other breakthroughs in immunology, we could transform their futures.”

Last week, orthopaedic faculty member Derek Donegan traveled to Nicaragua – a journey made possible by the support of the International Orthopaedic Care Fund. This fund allows our orthopaedic surgeons and those in training to deliver trauma care and education in developing nations while being compensated and covered for their travel expenses and liability. Musculoskeletal trauma is the number one cause of death and disability worldwide – much higher than cancer, HIV, or heart disease – and our surgeons can assist in creating a foundation in orthopaedic trauma care to better serve patients in developing countries. His journal from the trip appears below and we will keep you updated with his story during his trip abroad.

9/16/2012:

Travel to Nicaragua:

Left Philadelphia rather early (6:15 flight), but the trip was uneventful. It was only a few hours to Miami and then a quick 2 ½ hour flight to Managua. As we were approaching our landing in Managua, I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful Nicaragua appeared to be; a lot of green forest and mountains. Once I landed, Dr. Aguilar and his crew greeted me. He “escorted” me through customs which involved me giving a complete stranger (who looked official) my passport and $10. This was a leap of faith, but it worked out well. We bypassed the customs line and met Dr. Aguilar in the VIP lounge which was air conditioned and had food and drink. I eventually got my bag and we headed to the hotel. Hotel Casa Naranja is absolutely beautiful and just on the outskirts of Managua. The road trip was interesting. There is no question where the trauma comes from around here. There are lots of motorcycles with multiple people on them and pedestrians running across the street all the time. Apparently we will be at a different hospital than Dr. Aguilar, but it should be a good experience. There are 12 residents and lots of trauma patients at the hospital where we will be. I’m feeling anxious about our first day.

Head of Orthopaedics' Office

9/17/2012:

Day 1:

Today was our first day in the hospital. The day started with excellent breakfast at the hotel. We were told not to eat at the hospital, so we all had a big breakfast with the intention of not eating again until the evening. The chief of orthopaedics at Hospital Escuela dr. Roberto Calderón came and picked us up at our hotel. He took us to the hospital and we joined the Orthopaedic Morning conference at 7am.

The talk was all in Spanish and focused on AC joints (a part of the shoulder). Residents then presented cases from the weekend: thighbone fracture fixed with screws and bone cement; shinbone fracture fixed with a medial plate; hip fracture, and a hip sarcoma. All very interesting.

We then toured the one-level hospital with two patient wards (1 female, 1 male).

We did bedside rounds and saw films of a 25 year-old female with diffuse osteopenia who broke her femur when she fell over. We visited with a young male with a fractured pelvis. We had a long discussion about whether or not we should perform an open surgery to repair the bone by itself or with internal fixation – using implants to guide the healing process of the bone. This decision was complicated by the fact that the only C-arm the hospital has stopped working 2 weeks ago. We saw an older male with a shinbone fracture that needs a rod implant to stabilize the bone.

Lots of good stuff on the floors that needs to get done!!! We then took a walk through the clinic which was packed. If our US patients could wait in this clinic for 1 day, they would realize how much better they have it!

Our available tools

It was then off to the operating room. We did 3 cases total. The first was a broken arm that was 3 months old – due to waiting time to order the hardware needed to fix it! Unfortunately all the screws we had were exactly the same size so we had to cut them all individually. One of the most challenging aspects of fixing the break was that there was no fluoroscopy (fluoro) at this hospital.

Next we removed a nail from a patient’s shinbone with only one set of instruments, and again, no fluoroscopy to guide us.

Finally, we “corrected” a deformity from an incorrectly-placed rod placed in a patient’s femur about a week ago. The patient was set up on a fracture table. The rod had been placed without the aid of fluoro during the initial surgery and had been misplaced at the time. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to correct anything in the placement of the rod; we took out a screw and placed it back again and filled the bone void with cement.

Overall, very interesting day. There seems to be a lot of work to be done, however the resources in the operating room are scarce and we only ran one room today. Hopefully that will change.

We ended the day with a cab ride home from the hospital and then had dinner at an authentic Nicaraguan restaurant. The food and service was excellent and the meal for all 4 of us was only $45!

Siegel Family’s $1M Gift Supports Schizophrenia Research

Bioinformatics Will Pave the Way to Greater Understanding of a Baffling Disorder

Front row, from left to right: Marsha Dowshen, Joel Dowshen, Estelle Siegel, Dr. Steven Dowshen, PAR'99
Back row, from left to right: Dr. Dwight Evans, the Ruth Meltzer Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Psychiatry,
Dr. Nadia Dowshen, C'99, M'04, Suzanne Straus, Dr. Raquel Gur, Joan Siegel, Avery Green, and Dean J. Larry Jameson

“My family wants to bring hope to families who have been impacted by any kind of mental health illness,” said Joan Siegel. “Greater research and media attention needs to be focused on schizophrenia to minimize its stigma and to let people know that if detected early, those who are afflicted can still be productive members of society,” she added.

With her parents Estelle and Leonard Siegel, Joan Siegel, a member of the Penn Medicine Campaign Cabinet and Penn Medicine Patient Facilitated Services Leadership Council, has given $1 million to Penn Medicine’s Schizophrenia Research Center to launch the Dowshen Program for Neuroscience: Studies of Schizophrenia. The program was named in memory of Estelle Siegel’s parents Joseph and Yetta Greenberg Dowshen and brothers Leon and Bernard Dowshen.

“With the Siegels’ generous gift, Penn Medicine will now have the tools to move forward in understanding schizophrenia from the molecular to the behavioral level,” said Raquel Gur, M.D., Ph.D., Karl and Linda Rickels Professor of Psychiatry, Vice Chair for Research Development, and Director of the Neuropsychiatry Program and Schizophrenia Research Center.

The Dowshen Program will enable the Schizophrenia Research Center to 1) integrate and analyze clinical, neurocognitive, imaging, and genomic data and 2) better serve youth at risk through earlier diagnosis and intervention.

Schizophrenia affects about 2.5 million in the U.S., harming families, the work force, and the economy. The disease costs an estimated 2% of the gross national product in treatment, missed work, and public assistance. Tragically, suicide is 12 times more likely in individuals with schizophrenia as compared to the general population.

Only limited headway has been made in schizophrenia therapeutics in the last 50 years, as compared to other branches of medicine, according to Dr. Gur. “But if we can identify the mechanisms of the disorder, targeted integrated therapies will be facilitated,” she said. Progress in this area could also lead to breakthroughs in conditions that share features with schizophrenia.

After each encounter with the Siegels, Dr. Gur felt a deepening moral obligation to the new center: “Their ability to turn personal experiences into an effort to advance science, which they hope will minimize stigma and make tangible differences for patients, is truly inspiring.”

In Loving Memory of Bunny Kendall

Philip Kendall and his wife Bunny had long been advocates and friends of Penn Medicine, supporting a multitude of causes. In gratitude for her care, Philip made the memorial gift of a blanket-warming machine to the Penn Medicine Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division, symbolically echoing the warmth and compassion Bunny showed throughout her life.

Pioneering Penn and Penn Med Alumnus Becomes Radiology Department Chair

“Penn has a historic role in developing radiology technology and practice, from being among the first to perform clinical x-ray examinations to the most recent development of molecular imaging methods to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease.

I am honored to assume the role of Chair, and I hope to continue this legacy of practice-changing innovation that will define radiology practice in the future.”

— Mitchell D. Schnall, C’82, GME’86, M’86, HOM’02, Chair, Department of Radiology, and Matthew J. Wilson Professor of Research Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Schnall’s career at the University of Pennsylvania spans over two decades. He earned his undergraduate degree in 1981 in physics, creating a custom curriculum integrating physics and medicine. In 1986 he completed his M.D. and Ph.D. in biophysics.

He is an international leader in translational biomedical imaging research, and his work has led to fundamental changes in imaging approaches to breast and prostate cancer. He is currently a principal investigator for the NCI/NIH funded Penn Center for Innovation in Personalized Breast Screening. Dr. Schnall was elected to the Institute of Medicine this October.

Tackling Rare Diseases

Alumnus Donny Deutsch Hosts Benefit for Research

From left to right: Donny Deutsch, Dean Jameson,
Allison Weiss Brady, C'93, and George Weiss, and
Claudina Bonetti Marcus, President and Founder of the
Caterina Marcus Foundation

Advertising mogul and television personality Donny Deutsch, W’79, helped Penn raise vital funds and awareness for the thousands of diseases considered “rare.”

“Even though each disease affects relatively few people, collectively they impact 20 million people in our nation alone,” said Dean J. Larry Jameson, M.D., Ph.D. “The magnitude of occurrence does not mirror the magnitude of suffering, but hope does lie in the research taking place every day at Penn Medicine—and beyond.”

The event raised more than $200,000 for the Penn Center for Orphan Disease Research and Therapy. The Center seeks to accelerate solutions for patients and their families by supporting the good work in progress, wherever it may be, and creating connections between researchers, enabling them to share expertise, technology, and other resources. In its first year, the Center has supported research at nine institutions across the nation.

“We have ambitious goals for the rare disease research we support, and we will be able to reach those goals thanks to the dedication of friends like George Weiss W’65, PAR’89 and ‘93, Claudina Marcus, John Cali, and so many others,” said Dean Jameson. “The Center is about connections: between our advocates and donors, as well as among partner research institutions.”

New Chair Dr. Frances E. Jensen Brings Research Depth to Department of Neurology

“Penn Medicine’s Neurology Department is a model for integrated clinical care, research, and education. We are on the cusp of pivotal breakthroughs in translational neuroscience, and as the Department’s new chair, I look forward to strengthening our position as the epicenter for neuro clinical trials,” - Frances E. Jensen, M.D., Chair, Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Jensen is the 11th chair, and 1st woman, to lead Penn’s Department of Neurology, the first in the nation. She comes to Penn Medicine from Boston, where she was Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and a Senior Neurologist at both Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital, Boston. She is a dedicated and inspiring teacher and mentor, and is highly regarded for her translational research and studies of the age-specific mechanisms of diseases of the brain across the lifespan. Among her many honors, NIH awarded her the Director’s Pioneer Award, Physician Scientist Award, and a First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) Award.

An Honor for the Ages

From left to right: Nelson Shanks, Dean Jameson,
Ray Perelman, Amy Gutmann, President of the
University of Pennsylvania

Philanthropists Raymond and Ruth Perelman Immortalized in Stunning Portrait

It was a singular honor for truly extraordinary people: Penn Medicine unveiled a portrait, painted by the eminent artist Nelson Shanks, of loyal friends and respected philanthropists Raymond and Ruth Perelman. Fittingly, the unveiling took place in the patient care center that bears their name, and more than 200 guests were in attendance to celebrate their support of Penn Medicine and the Perelman School of Medicine. “I’ve had the privilege of knowing the Perelmans, and Ray and I had been looking forward to this opportunity for years,” said Mr. Shanks. “It is my hope that their image will remind us of their compassionate spirit, and inspire generations to similar greatness.”

“The Perelman name represents the first and finest medical school in our nation,” said Dean J. Larry Jameson, M.D., Ph.D. “Now we can forever picture the two compassionate people who were responsible for such enduring philanthropy.”

“When you see the Perelman name on our campus and around the region, you are seeing the mark of a wonderful family who truly champions the citizens of Philadelphia,” said Penn President Amy Gutmann. “Their impactful philanthropy transforms lives, and it has been a privilege having the Perelmans as part of the Penn family.”

Penn Alumni Help Launch Unique Cancer Research Center

The Basser Research Center for BRCA Designed to Transform Life with Inherited Cancers

From left to right: Dr. Chi Van Dang, Director of the
Abramson Cancer Center; Dr. Susan Domchek, Executive Director
of the Basser Research Center for BRCA; Jon and Mindy Gray;
Amy Gutmann, President of the University of Pennsylvania;
Dean J. Larry Jameson, Perelman School of Medicine

Penn Medicine recently celebrated the creation of the Basser Research Center for BRCA, which was launched thanks to a gift from Penn alumni Mindy and Jon Gray. The Center focuses on research on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, harmful forms of which are linked to greatly increased risks of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Emphasizing outreach, prevention, early detection, treatment and survivorship, the Basser Research Center will contribute to all stages of research and clinical care related to BRCA-related cancers. The gift will create an endowed professorship in the field of oncology to be known as the Basser Professorship, recruit additional faculty, enhance core technologies such as bioinformatics and DNA vaccine production, launch an annual lectureship and establish the Basser Prize to honor cutting-edge research.

The inspired generosity that lead to the creation of the Basser Center will impact countless lives. “We would not be where we are today without visionary partners, who have long played a central role in the history of the Abramson Cancer Center,” explained Cancer Center Director Chi Van Dang, M.D., Ph.D. “Mindy and Jon Gray are wonderful and engaged advocates, and their support is absolutely vital in accelerating novel therapies—and offering generations of patients better options in cancer prevention and care.”

“We knew that Penn Medicine was the place for making a real impact on BRCA-related cancer research,” said Mindy and Jon Gray. “Dr. Susan Domchek’s work and the constant interaction between clinicians and researchers—and their dedication—inspires so much hope. We couldn’t be more proud to be part of the Penn family and advance this vital work together.”

Philadelphia Event Photos
New York City Event Photos

Personalized Cancer Therapies Take Off

$5 Million Gift from Richard W. Vague Will Help Immunotherapy Reach More People, Target More Diseases

From left to right: Dean J. Larry Jameson, Dr. Robert Vonderheide,
Dr. Carl June, Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunology and
Richard W. Vague. Drs. June and Vonderheide are respectively
the Director and Associate Director of Translational Research
at the Abramson Cancer Center.

The founder and chair of several banks and investment companies, Richard W. Vague entered college intending to be a painter. Instead he found that “there’s as much opportunity for creativity in business as anywhere else.”

Innovation is the hallmark of the work Mr. Vague’s gift supports at the Abramson Cancer Center. Dr. Carl June, appointed the first Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunology this fall, leads the Translational Research Team who are making headlines with their collaborative, novel therapies for HIV and a number of cancers. In addition to endowing the chair, Mr. Vague is funding the pancreatic cancer investigation headed by Dr. Robert Vonderheide.

Dr. June, who became a member of the prestigious Institute of Medicine this October, started his career studying bone marrow transplant, essentially a form of immunotherapy which yields very long lasting results for many patients. The subsequent decades he has spent analyzing the immune system and its response to HIV and cancer are coming to fruition with the development of flexible approaches to engineering T cells that can be deployed against many diseases. Because they use the patient’s own cells, these treatments are specific to the patient’s disease and less harmful than conventional surgical and radiation approaches.

Everyone stands to benefit from this approach. “You don’t have to go back to ground zero for each different cancer," Dr. June told Philadelphia Magazine where he was celebrated as one of the Smartest People of Philadelphia. "It’s a cut and paste. It's a game-changer.”
Especially since the August 2011 announcement that 3 patients appeared to be rid of leukemia by Dr. June and team’s novel, “serial killer” T cell therapy, the scientific community is taking note:

“Penn is out in front in many ways in the translational research arena,’ said Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the National Institutes of Health. “The collection of researchers and ideas at Penn is really breathtaking in terms of the creativity, the energy, the science that they are producing.”

Penn has the largest group in the world dedicated to cancer immunotherapy. The university’s collaborative culture and unique medical facilities, where basic and translational researchers work alongside clinicians, have created an ideal environment for emerging areas of medicine.

Clinical trials are being developed or conducted for mesothelioma, as well as blood, pancreatic, ovarian, lung, and prostate cancers. With more resources, more work can progress.

Hopes are sky high for this promising work.

“Years from now,” says Vague, “when the questions are asked: Who cured cancer, and where was cancer cured? You may hear the names Carl June and Bob Vonderheide, and the answer may be the University of Pennsylvania.”

To learn more about supporting research at the Abramson Cancer Center, please contact Tricia Bruning at tbruning@upenn.edu or 215.898.1033.

5K for the IOA

54-year-old Dr. Jinyu Liao won the over-60 female age group in the inaugural Penn 5K for the IOA race. Dr. Liao, a retired doctor of internal medicine, poses here with leading Alzheimer’s Disease researchers Drs. Virginia Lee and John Trojanowski. The first organized race to go through the new Penn Park, the 5K featured 289 runners and walkers, from 8 to 84 years old, and raised $40,000 for the Penn Medicine Institute on Aging.

Cali and Weldon Families Fund Professorship in FOP Research

Standing (left to right): Danielle Greenwald, Bob Caron,
Girish Ramaswamy, Julia Haupt, Vitali Lounev, Salin Chakkalakal,
Haitao Wang, Michael Convente, Will Towler, Deyu Zhang,
Carter Lindborg, Andria Culbert
Sitting (left to right): Frederick Kaplan, Eileen Shore, Robert Pignolo
Not in Photo: Meiqi Xu and Ruth McCarrick-Walmsley

“Penn is the world leader in FOP research and supporting this work is our best hope for finding treatments and even a cure for our 22-year-old son Ian,” said Amanda Cali, PAR’09.

She and her husband John Cali, Penn Medicine Trustee Emeritus, along with Bill and Hillary Weldon have established the Cali and Weldon Research Professorship in Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Research to help ensure that groundbreaking research continues to flow from Penn Medicine’s Center for Research in FOP and Related Disorders. Eileen Shore, Ph.D. was formally announced as the inaugural chairholder on July 9. Her appointment was celebrated with a reception at R2L Restaurant hosted by Dr. L. Scott Levin, Paul Magnuson Professor of Bone & Joint Surgery, and Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

“We hope that with the support of our family and others, Penn will discover treatments and, ultimately, a cure for our Whitney,” said Hillary Weldon. “It is a pleasure to work with this world-class institution where my family has such a rich history.” Whitney’s grandfather is Bertram Kummel, M’48.

FOP is a rare but debilitating genetic disorder that causes the body’s soft connective tissue to turn to bone. The disease usually emerges in childhood as the body gradually develops a second skeleton that hampers movement and over time leaves a person immobile.

The Cali and Weldon families and friends have funded FOP research for many years, through major gifts and grassroots fundraising and have spearheaded both national and international awareness building for the condition and the research team at Penn. Their support has been crucial in making the Penn Medicine Center one of the world’s foremost sites devoted to the investigation of FOP’s molecular and genetic causes.

In a significant breakthrough in 2006, the Center discovered the genetic mutation thought to cause FOP. In November 2011, they established a proof of principle for a novel genetic approach that inhibits the damaged copy of the gene that causes the condition.

Dr. Shore co-directs the Center with Dr. Frederick S. Kaplan, Chief of the Division of Molecular Orthopaedic Medicine. Both are leading authorities on FOP. Dr. Shore has dedicated the last two decades to studying FOP and has been at the forefront of every development in the field. She currently focuses on the genetics of FOP, translational studies, and drug development.

Dr. Kaplan, Isaac and Rose Nassau Professor of Orthopaedic Molecular Medicine in Orthopaedic Surgery received the nation’s first endowed chair in molecular orthopaedic medicine thanks to a gift from Diane Weiss, PAR’89, PAR’93. He is the physician for all 700 diagnosed FOP patients in the world.

Said Dr. Shore, “I am grateful to the Cali and Weldon families for all they have done to support our work. The research professorship will help in our continuing efforts to develop gene therapies, therapeutics, and, perhaps, a cure for FOP as well as apply what we learn from our study of FOP to other bone-related diseases.”

Watch Head Games Online

With Many Penn Voices, Documentary Spotlights Concussion Crisis in Youth and Professional Sport

“How much of you are you willing to lose for a game?” asks the trailer for Head Games, the new film from Steve James, the director of Hoop Dreams. Many at Penn are dedicated to reducing concussions, and their long-term effects and appear in the film. Doug Smith, the Director of Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair, the largest institution of its kind, and Penn Head Athletic Trainer Eric Laudano are among the faculty appearing on screen. The family of Owen Thomas, the captain of the Penn football team who committed suicide in 2010, also tell their story in the film. Head Games is available on demand from Facebook, iTunes, and Amazon.

Facebook Album from Premiere Event

Heart Transplant Patient Jim Lobb Shows Thanks in Giving Back to his Caregivers

“Now that I can, and for the rest of my life, I want to give back to Penn and those who have or will undergo a transplant. My doctors, nurses—all of my caregivers—made me feel as comfortable as possible, including putting my favorite music on before surgery. They simply devote themselves to their patient’s needs,” said Cardiovascular Leadership Council Member Jim Lobb.

No one could say that Mr. Lobb was a Scrooge before he received a new heart at Penn in December 2010, but he certainly gained a new lease on life since his operation. He is elated for each new day, always happy to tell his story, and thankful to everyone he encountered at Penn Medicine for saving his life.

Mr. Lobb demonstrated his gratitude by giving $300,000 to the Penn Heart and Vascular Center to fund a nurse specially trained in caring for patients using ventricular assist devices (VADs). A mechanical circulatory instrument that partially or completely replaces heart functions, a VAD can serve as a bridge to transplant, keeping the heart pumping steadily until a donor heart is available.

Penn Medicine was the first in the tri-state region to offer this technology. Because the need for transplantable hearts greatly surpasses the supply, VADs are being used more and more often, sometimes as a permanent solution for patients.

The Penn Medicine Heart Transplant Center is one of the top three heart transplant programs in the U.S. and is the largest in the Mid-Atlantic region. Since the program was launched in 1988, Penn surgeons have performed nearly 800 heart transplants—more than all other regional centers combined.

Mr. Lobb worked in the financial services industry before his transplant. During his long convales-cence, his priorities began to shift. In time, he returned to work, but found the job no longer felt right for him. After a brief retirement, he rejoined his old firm—and old friends —to spearhead their foray into international markets.

Besides spending more time with his wife Pat and their three children, Mr. Lobb is intent on giving back to Penn and heart transplant patients in as many ways as he can. He joined the volunteer and philanthropic group the Penn Cardiovascular Institute Leadership Council; he personally counsels patients before and after transplant; he participates in attends transplant patient reunions; and he made his recent generous gift.

Mr. Lobb is deeply grateful to his surgeon Michael Acker, M.D., and his cardiologist Joyce Wald, D.O., and lavish in his praise of his whole heart failure and transplant team, including the receptionist. She impressed him by knowing the second anniversary of his transplant.

“It’s one thing for me and my family to remem¬ber,” he said, “but this just goes to the heart, pardon the pun, of how caring the Penn heart transplant team is.”

To learn more about supporting Penn Medicine cardiovascular research and care, please contact Jessie McCulley at jessiemc@upenn.edu or 215-746-3004.

A Decade of Key Support

Maria Papadakis, Abramson Cancer Center
Young Friends Co-Chair, makes fall's newest colors shine

Saks Fifth Avenue in Bala Cynwyd, PA, and the Abramson Cancer Center teamed up for the 10th annual Key to the Cure fashion show on Saturday, October 20. Hosted by the Young Friends of the Abramson Cancer Center, the event featured Young Friends and ACC faculty modeling the season’s latest fashions. Refreshments and a grand raffle prize donated by Italian jeweler Marco Bicego, who flew in for the occasion, added spice to a fun-filled fundraiser. Proceeds from sales during the extended Key to the Cure Weekend, which offered special benefits and discounts to shoppers, will support breast and gynecologic cancer research and education for the Abramson Cancer Center.

Bill Smilow thanked his "physicians and friends" for making this
day possible by their lifesaving care and by introducing him to the
research advances taking place on the Penn campus.

Smilow Family Names Center for Translational Research

Largest Capital Gift of the University’s $3.5 billion Making History Fundraising Campaign to Date

“My son Bill and I believe that Penn shares our philosophy on making an immediate impact on peoples’ lives,” said Joel Smilow, former chairman and chief executive officer of Playtex Products, Inc. “We are delighted to make this significant contribution to advancing health care in our nation and around the world.”

While the exact gift amount remains undisclosed, Joel and William Smilow have made the largest capital gift to date to the University of Pennsylvania’s $3.5 billion Making History fundraising campaign. Their gift is among the top gifts in Penn Medicine’s history and names the Smilow Center for Translational Research in the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine.It also establishes the William Smilow Professorship in the field of cardiovascular medicine and the William Smilow Award for Innovation in Clinical Excellence. Penn’s medical bioinformatics program will also receive funding to enhance the analysis and integration of data from a wide range of sources.

A prominent silhouette in the Philadelphia skyline, the 531,000 square-foot, state-of-the art Smilow Center was described as “the envy of the nation’s most prestigious research scientists,” by National Institutes of Health Director Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, at the building’s 2011 opening. The eight floors of the Smilow Center for Translational Research are each the size of a football field, with more than 700 laboratory work stations and 180 research bays throughout. More than 100 lead researchers and 900 staff members from a wide range of departments, centers, and institutes work in the building.

“We are enormously grateful to Joel and Bill Smilow for their profoundly generous gift, which will help ensure that Penn is at the vanguard of innovative medical research and cures,” said University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann. “The Smilow Center for Translational Research provides a state-of-the-art environment where eminent physicians, researchers and scientists at Penn Medicine will work side-by-side to advance medical science. The Smilows are noted for their significant philanthropic works throughout the nation, and Penn is very proud to be the recipients of their first gift here in Philadelphia.”

Chestnut Hill resident William Smilow, president and founder of Great Oak Holdings, Inc., serves on the Penn Medicine Cardiovascular Institute Leadership Council. “My family feels a deep connection with both the communities where we live and the challenges that touch our lives,” he explained. “We feel it is important to inspire compassionate and visionary giving in others, and are proud to help promote the wide range of medical discovery that will take place at the Smilow Center. We hope that others will follow our lead in supporting Penn’s transformative research.”

To learn more about supporting translational research laboratories and programs at Penn, please contact Donna Piarulli at piarulli@upenn.edu or 215.898.0578.

Perelman Scholars Arrive

Raymond and Ruth Perelman’s unprecedented gift to Penn Medicine was the culmination of years of involvement with the School and the University of Pennsylvania. Their philanthropy was also spurred by a sense of urgency about health care in America. As Ray told the Philadelphia Inquirer days after the gift was announced, “The key is to get brilliant students into the system who will make brilliant doctors.”

This year, by funding 12 new full scholarships, the Perelman gift allows the School to continue the tradition of attracting extremely driven students with great intellect, wide-ranging interests, and the desire to make a difference through medicine.

The inaugural Perelman Scholars include a lawyer who has worked on drafting policy guidelines on women’s health for the Republic of Uganda, a molecular biology major published as an undergraduate, and a 2008 Olympian who received a team silver medal in fencing and who, having deferred her education due to her athletic pursuits, is very excited about the School’s early start to clerkships. The Scholars also include a few bungee jumpers, a Tournament of Roses princess, and a young woman who speaks for many of our students when she says, “It has been my dream to take part in a profession centered on an intrinsic love for humanity.”

Amy Gutmann, President of the University of Pennsylvania, Dean J. Larry Jameson,
and Ray Perelman welcome the Perelman Scholars

On October 18, Mr. Perelman had the opportunity to meet some Perelman Scholars and other students at the unveiling of the Perelmans’ portrait, which will be displayed in the Biomedical Research Building. “Ruth and I are two people who cared very much about helping you make your dreams come true,” Mr. Perelman said when he addressed the students. “I hope you will always know how much we believed in you—believed in your talents and in your dedication to the science and art of healing.”

Recruiting the best students is an ongoing critical concern and the future of medicine depends on the students of today. For some Perelman Scholars, and many other financial aid recipients, scholarship aid made a Penn Medicine education possible.

“Penn Medicine has a reputation for excellence,” said Melissa Asmar, M’16. “Without this gift, I may not have been able to attend this prestigious school. Being a Perelman Scholar will help me to achieve my goal of furthering the frontier of medicine.”

Our students are the future of medicine. The Perelman Scholars program will continue to be a driving force in medical research, patient care, and most importantly, training the new doctors our country needs so much.

A Cancer Breakthrough 20 Years in the Making

A Stunning First Half

Loyal Patients Spur Momentum for an Endowed Chair honoring “Dr. Mike”

Double Hand Transplant Marks New Era