Schools Receive Money

Two Harvard graduate schools have recently been offered more than $7 million in donations, University officials announced this week.

The Harvard Medical School received a $2.2 million grant to support research in neurobiology and cell biology, and an anonymous donor pledged $5 million to expand the programs of the Wiener Center for Social Policy at the Kennedy School of Government.

Medical School

The $2.2 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMl), a medical research organization, is part of $80 million in grants that the HHMl awarded to 30 schools around the country to help deal with recent cutbacks in government research grants.

"The grant will help us recruit excellent young researchers in the area of cellular and developmental neurobiology and help us enhance the research of cellular neurobiologists already on the faculty," said Pusey Professor of Neurobiology Gerald D. Fischbach, chair of the Department of Neurobiology.

"Cell biology and neurobiology are two of the most exciting areas in modern biomedical science," Dean of the Medical School Daniel C. Tosteson '44 said in a statement. "I am delighted and appreciative that the [HHMl] has given us this unique opportunity at this time to enhance our efforts in these extremely important fields."

The funds will be used to recruit faculty members, to provide a new facility for electron microscopy and to upgrade "the computer backbone allowing better communication between investigators," said Rosalyn A. Segal, director of administration for the Department of Neurobiology.

The goal of the grant "is to encourage the scientific exchange and interaction between the [Departments of Neurobiology and Cell Biology to create a synergy between the two parts to create a better whole," Segal said.

Officials said the funding will have significant effects for the departments.

"It will have a very positive effect, particularly for younger faculty," said Ryn Miake-Lye, the director of research and administration for the Department of Cell Biology. "I'm sure everybody is aware that the federal funding situation is becoming much tighter and it's often investigators who are just starting their careers who feel this most strongly."

"Much of the funding is targeted at helping out our younger faculty," Miake-Lye said. She said the funds will be used to help younger faculty members establish their laboratories, but said that the salary support for investigators will still come from their research grants.

The grant proposal was put together by Fischbach and Walter Professor of Cell Biology Mark W. Kirschner, chair of the Department of Cell Biology.

The HHMI is the largest private philanthropy organization in the United States and funds about 20 percent of all biomedical research in the country.

HHMI President Pursell W. Choppin said academic medical centers which perform patient care and basic medical research "are being squeezed by reductions in patient care revenues and restrictions on government research spending," according to the Boston Globe.

"We hope these grants will help medical schools continue laying the groundwork of new treatments and methods of prevention of discase," he said.

Kennedy School

The $5 million pledge is intended to provide a chair for a distinguished scholar, to assist the incorporation of the school's Criminal Justice Program into the Wiener Center and to promote a project in expanding employment for less-skilled workers, according to an article in yesterday's Harvard Gazette.

According to the Gazette, $1.5 million will be given by the donor now, $1.5 million will be made up from a matching grant and $2 million will be given in the future.

The donor expressed the hope that the gift will aid both further research and the framing of responses to urgent national problems, the Gazette reported

The goal of the grant "is to encourage the scientific exchange and interaction between the [Departments of Neurobiology and Cell Biology to create a synergy between the two parts to create a better whole," Segal said.

Officials said the funding will have significant effects for the departments.

"It will have a very positive effect, particularly for younger faculty," said Ryn Miake-Lye, the director of research and administration for the Department of Cell Biology. "I'm sure everybody is aware that the federal funding situation is becoming much tighter and it's often investigators who are just starting their careers who feel this most strongly."

"Much of the funding is targeted at helping out our younger faculty," Miake-Lye said. She said the funds will be used to help younger faculty members establish their laboratories, but said that the salary support for investigators will still come from their research grants.

The grant proposal was put together by Fischbach and Walter Professor of Cell Biology Mark W. Kirschner, chair of the Department of Cell Biology.

The HHMI is the largest private philanthropy organization in the United States and funds about 20 percent of all biomedical research in the country.

HHMI President Pursell W. Choppin said academic medical centers which perform patient care and basic medical research "are being squeezed by reductions in patient care revenues and restrictions on government research spending," according to the Boston Globe.

"We hope these grants will help medical schools continue laying the groundwork of new treatments and methods of prevention of discase," he said.

Kennedy School

The $5 million pledge is intended to provide a chair for a distinguished scholar, to assist the incorporation of the school's Criminal Justice Program into the Wiener Center and to promote a project in expanding employment for less-skilled workers, according to an article in yesterday's Harvard Gazette.

According to the Gazette, $1.5 million will be given by the donor now, $1.5 million will be made up from a matching grant and $2 million will be given in the future.

The donor expressed the hope that the gift will aid both further research and the framing of responses to urgent national problems, the Gazette reported