Penn at Almanac - July 15, 2008 - Volume 55 Number 1

Sep 17, 2026

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Tuesday, July 15, 2008 issue of the University of Pennsylvania Almanac (Volume 55, Number 1) highlights a $50 million gift from Jerome and Anne Fisher to create a new Translational Research Center focused on accelerating the path from laboratory discoveries to therapies. The announcement also covers appointments of Robert Ghrist as the seventh Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor and Charles L. Howard as University Chaplain effective July 1.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Featured Gifts and Institutional Updates

$50 Million Fisher Gift for Translational Medicine Research

Robert Ghrist Named Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor

Charles Howard Appointed University Chaplain

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Tuesday July 15, 2008 Volume 55 Number 1 [www.upenn.edu/almanac](www.upenn.edu/almanac) $50 Million Gift from Anne and Jerome Fisher for New Translational Medicine Research Center Anne and Jerome Fisher A $50 million gift from philanthropists Jerome and Anne Fisher will support a new eightstory biomedical-research center at the University of Pennsylvania dedicated to the growing field of translational medicine, which emphasizes an accelerated pace for converting laboratory discoveries into medical therapies. Slated to open in 2010, the Anne and Jerome Fisher Translational Research Center will be adjacent to Penn’s two new state-of-the-art outpatient-care facilities that will begin operations this year and in 2009. Together, the three facilities will reconfigure the Penn medical campus to tightly align medical research and care and to enable Penn to offer the most advanced treatments for cancer, cardiovascular disease and other serious health conditions. “All of us at the University of Pennsylvania are enormously grateful to Anne and Jerome for this incredibly generous and transformational gift which will further position Penn at the forefront of bench-to-bedside medicine,” President Amy Gutmann said. “The Fishers’ long and steadfast commitment to Penn has profoundly impacted the University, and this significant gift continues their legacy of supporting eminence in areas that become signature strengths of Penn, such as the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology and the Anne and Jerome Fisher Fine Arts Library.” “Anne and I love Penn,” Mr. Fisher said,“and we have long felt that investing in this world-class university is investing in the future of humankind itself. We are especially pleased to be able to make a contribution that will impact advances in health care, something which touches everyone’s life.” This most recent Fisher contribution to Penn is the largest capital gift to the University’s“Making History” fund-raising campaign. It isone of the largest gifts in the history of Penn and the second largest gift to Penn Medicine. A professorship in hematology and oncology named in honor of the Fishers’ daughter, Jodi Fisher, is also included in this donation. Translational research is an example of Penn’s interdisciplinary efforts to address some of the most pressing health issues facing society today, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. (continued on page 2) Robert Ghrist: Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor President Amy Gutmann and Provost Ronald Daniels are pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Ghrist as the seventh Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor, effective September 1, 2008. Dr. Ghrist, one of the world’s leading applied mathemati cians, will be the Andrea Mitchell Univer sity Professor. His appointment will be jointly shared between the department of electrical and systems engineering in the School of Engineer ing and Applied Science and the department of mathematics in the School of Arts and Sciences. “Rob Ghrist is a singular math and engineering sensation whose infectious love of teaching and groundbreaking research in robotics, topological hydro-dynamics, and other fields will Robert Ghrist make him a great PIK Professor and a huge hit with Penn students and faculty alike,” said President Gutmann.“Penn is the perfect environment for him to pursue his innovative and integrative scholarship and for stoking his passion for literature and music, which, incidentally, runs the gamut from Dante to Mozart to Frank Zappa. We look forward to welcoming Rob into the Penn family.” Dr. Ghrist has produced a widely influential body of work that applies mathematical methods to real-world engineering challenges, especially in robotics and wireless sensor networks. He specializes in topology, a branch of mathematics that provides tools to visualize abstract spaces—for example, finding gaps in a security netwo

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Anne and Jerome Fisher Translational Research Center?

The center will support translational medicine by accelerating the conversion of laboratory discoveries into medical therapies, enabling advanced treatments for serious health conditions.

Who has been appointed Robert Ghrist, and when does the appointment take effect?

Robert Ghrist is appointed the seventh Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor, effective September 1, 2008.

Who is Charles L. Howard, and when does he begin serving as University Chaplain?

Charles L. Howard is appointed University Chaplain effective July 1, following service as interim chaplain and associate chaplain at Penn.

Sep 17, 2026

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