August 16, 2022
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute (DHLRI) has received a $5.5 million gift from the William H. Davis, Dorothy M. Davis and William C. Davis Foundation to support research.
Pending approval by the Wexner Medical Center Board and the University Board of Trustees, the gift will create an endowed research chair and name the DHLRI’s research unit in the new five-story Interdisciplinary Research Facility under construction on The Ohio State University’s west campus. Scheduled to open in June 2023, the 305,000-square-foot laboratory building will anchor Ohio State’s future Innovation District.
“It is paramount that advancements in heart and lung disease treatment continue apace, particularly as complications caused by the COVID-19 crisis continue to evolve. The DHLRI is one of the world’s largest institutes focused on this important research, and the life-saving work done there has been made possible largely thanks to the Davis Foundation. This latest generous and significant gift will enable the DHLRI to continue to lead in funding new treatments for patients with acute and chronic diseases of the heart and lungs. We are grateful for the Davis Foundation’s ongoing support,” said Ohio State University President Kristina M. Johnson.
Since its opening in 2000, the DHLRI has grown exponentially. In addition to faculty and research collaborations that span eight colleges and 26 departments, DHLRI-associated work is conducted at six locations throughout Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, and its research funding exceeds $30 million annually.
“This latest commitment from the Davis Foundation will enable us to attract a prominent leader in the field as we expand our physical footprint to the Interdisciplinary Research Facility, which will significantly strengthen our team-based approaches to cardiovascular research. Without the Davis Foundation’s continued partnership, we would not see the future as bright as we see it now,” said Thomas Hund, the DHLRI’s director and William D. and Jacquelyn L. Wells Chair.
The Davis Foundation is a long-time supporter of Ohio State and its Wexner Medical Center. Significant contributions include the Bill Davis Stadium, home of Buckeyes Baseball, and the Dorothy M. Davis Chair in Cancer Research.
Jackie Wells, chair and president of the Davis Foundation, said the new DHLRI gift will not only support new medical discoveries but honor the family’s interest in research.
“As our foundation’s president, my late husband, Bill, was dedicated to building on his Aunt Dottie’s passion for research,” Wells said. “For over 20 years, the Davis Foundation has supported the DHLRI, and with this gift, we are proud to carry on Dottie’s legacy by continuing to invest in research that will save more people’s hearts and lives.”
Media relations contact: Amy Colgan, Amy.Colgan@osumc.edu
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