According to a story from HSC News, the Hastings Foundation recently gave a gift of $12.5 million for the USC Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research, a subdivision of the University of Southern California’s Keck School. The center, which focuses in lung related ailments, was initially established in 2014 by the foundation. Dr. Zea Borok, who is the director of the center, says that the new funding will be essential for the center’s continued research on illnesses such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The boost in funding is essential for the center, because it allows it to continue to recruit fresh, young talent as well as attract highly regarded scientists who have decades of experience. The center is multidisciplinary research organization, that approaches lung health and function from a variety of different approaches. The continued success of the Hastings Center has motivated the foundation to continue its funding campaign.
The money will also go towards offering postdoctoral fellowships as well as obtain highly advanced equipment that is necessary for the in-depth research conducted at the center. The center also recently hosted its second research symposium that featured the latest in lung disease and health research and drew experts from across the nation. In addition, biweekly seminars held at the center feature presentations from lung health researchers. Another goal of the center is the founding of a lung tissue bank that researchers will be able to access in order to conduct studies with it.
Dr. Laura Mosqueda, who is the dean of the Keck School of Medicine, also expressed her gratitude for the support from the Hastings Foundation. Although the foundation helped start the Hastings Center a few years ago, the relationship between the organization and the university spans back significantly further. The foundation first began giving to the school in 1975, and has donated more than $45 million since then. The university plans to present the foundation with an award at its next commencement in commemoration of its steadfast support for the medical school.
Hopefully, the continued research at the Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research will be instrumental in the struggle to cure progressive rare lung diseases like cystic fibrosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
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