Farbers donate $20M to Thomas Jefferson University
Vickie and Jack Farber, longtime supporters of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, are giving the Center City institution $20 million to expand the Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience.
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Vickie and Jack Farber, longtime supporters of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, are giving the Center City institution $20 million to expand the Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience.
The institute, which was founded in 2002 with a $10 million lead gift from the Farber Family Foundation, will unite Jefferson's departments of neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, and neuroscience, said Robert Rosenwasser, president of the institute.
"It breaks down the silos that exist in every university and every medical center," said Rosenwasser, who also is chair of neurological surgery at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.
Rosenwasser said Jefferson will use the $20 million to open four new laboratories, two for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease) and two for stroke-related research.
Plus, Jefferson plans to hire three clinical leaders, for stroke, ALS, and other degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Vickie Farber lost her father to ALS and her mother to Alzheimer's, Jefferson said.
"Research into these devastating neurologic diseases has been gaining momentum at Jefferson for years, and Vickie and I chose to make this investment now because we want to be a part of the transformation which we know is in process," said Jack Farber, who has been a member of Jefferson's board since 1984, including more than five years as chairman starting in 1995.
Vickie Farber has been on the Thomas Jefferson University Women's Board since 1995.
The new gift brings the couple's giving to Jefferson to $35 million, including the Farber Fellowship, awarded since 1989.
The Farber Institute has nearly $250 million in clinical and research revenue, Rosenwasser said. It is home to 115 faculty members, 78 residents, 68 clinical and research fellows, 285 staff members, and 35 graduate students, Jefferson said.
The Farber Institute also will include Abington Neurosciences Abington-Jefferson Health.
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