Columbia University Receives $400 Million Donation

Columbia University has announced a historic $400 million donation from alumni Roy and Diana Vagelos, the largest single contribution ever made to its medical school. This funding will significantly enhance the Roy and Diana Vagelos Institute for Basic Biomedical Science, which aims to unify research across various departments and train physician-scientists to develop new treatments for diseases such as cancers and metabolic disorders. The donation will also support the construction of the Vagelos Innovation Laboratories, a new sustainable biomedical research facility on Columbia's Washington Heights campus. This comes at a critical time for the university, which has faced challenges following protests over the Israel-Hamas conflict that led some donors to pause their contributions. Roy Vagelos highlighted the goal of fostering an environment conducive to groundbreaking discoveries in health and medicine. Overall, this strategic investment seeks to position Columbia as a leader in biomedical research and education.