The Taubman Difference
New institute rewrites the rule book for research
With an extraordinary gift of $22 million, A. Alfred Taubman, one of America’s leading entrepreneurs and philanthropists, has established a research institute at the University of Michigan unique in the scope of the diseases it combats and its bold approach to medical research.
The mission of the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute is to support fundamental research into a wide range of human disease. But it seeks to do so by freeing scientists at the University of Michigan to pursue innovative research, which traditional funding sources tend to shy away from.
It’s what the director of the institute, Eva Feldman, likes to call “high risk, high reward” research.
“This is work we could not do without Taubman funding,” says Feldman. “It’s discovery driven; it’s looking for scientific breakthroughs. We do not know if it is or isn’t going to work. But it’s worth the risk.”
The generous gift from Alfred Taubman created an endowment, whose earnings will fund the Institute and its research for generations to come.
“We are on the doorstep of amazing scientific discoveries that will dramatically improve the health of people around the world,” says Mr. Taubman.
“I am delighted to be able to support the important research of the university’s talented scientists and physicians. I am especially proud that their groundbreaking work is being done right here in Michigan.”
A Message from the Director
Six Months of Progress
Eva Feldman, M.D., Ph.D.Here at the Taubman Institute, we are off to a great start.
The first five Taubman Scholars have received their initial funding and are using it to do groundbreaking research, which will have profound effects on the understanding and treatment of a range of diseases.
We are also working to create the collaborative environment that is one of the cornerstones of the Institute, where the exchange of ideas and creative interaction across disciplines are vigorously promoted. This month, we are kicking off a series of monthly brown bag lunches, where members of all the Taubman labs get together to discuss their research.
In June, we launched a series of lectures and workshops to train our researchers in the latest applications of information technology. With the sheer volume of research being done in the life sciences in laboratories around the world, having access to the findings is of crucial importance.
And we are planning our first annual Taubman Institute Symposium for October 7 in Ann Arbor, with a focus on a very topical issue: stem-cell research.
Throughout the coming months, I invite your continued interest in the work of the Taubman Institute. To keep up with our research and news from the laboratories, please visit our Web site.
It’s been an exciting first six months. With the commitment of our scientists and the sustained support of people like Alfred Taubman, we think we are ready to challenge head-on some of today’s most deadly diseases.
Eva Feldman
