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Physicians at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have noted a steady rise of allergies and asthma during the past few decades, which is not surprising considering more than 50 million people in the U.S. are affected by allergic diseases. Now, thanks to a $3.75 million endowment from Jeff and Penny Vinik and a $1.25 million match by BWH, researchers will have access to critical resources needed to determine the causes of these allergic reactions and seek their cures.
The Jeff and Penny Vinik Center for Allergic Disease Research in the Department of Medicine will set new standards in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma, food allergies and other allergic disorders. Under the leadership of Joshua Boyce, MD, director of the Inflammation and Allergic Disease Research Section at BWH, the Vinik Center is uniquely poised to develop new molecular targeted treatments, gene-based therapies and technological advances.
“The establishment of the Jeff and Penny Vinik Center for Allergic Disease Research in the Department of Medicine will allow BWH’s program to continue as the world leader in training academic scientists and conducting groundbreaking research for decades,” said Boyce. “With the Viniks’ help, we will continue to attract the best talent and ensure that allergic disease research becomes a priority for the scientific world.”
The endowment will enable BWH to pursue “high-risk, high-reward” areas of research in their earliest stages, procure state-of-the-art equipment to aid in the identification of new molecular targets and support rising stars among the program’s junior faculty.