Annual Report 2001 - the University of Massachusetts Medical School

W ORCESTER F OUNDA TION for B IOMEDICAL R ESEARCH 

Annual Report 2001 

OurTime to Lead 

Supporting Basic Biomedical Research 

at the University of Massachusetts Medical School

THE WORCESTER FOUNDATION FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit 

organization internationally recognized for its revolutionary contributions to biology and 

medicine. Among its best known contributions are the discovery and development of the 

birth control pill, the pioneering work that made in vitro fertilization possible, and the first 

systematic study of the anti-tumor actions of tamoxifen, an anti-estrogen drug that has subsequently 

revolutionized treatment of breast cancer. 

Initially an independent research institute, the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research 

merged with the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1997. Today, the Worcester 

Foundation is devoted to the support of basic biomedical research of the combined research 

enterprise, and to the education and training of tomorrow’s scientists. 

Pictured here and on front cover: 

the central staircase in the new research laboratory building

W ORCESTER F OUNDATION for B IOMEDICAL R ESEARCH 

Annual Report 2001 


Supporting Basic Biomedical Research 

at the University of Massachusetts Medical School


M E S S A G E F R O M T H E C H A I R M A N 

We have much to celebrate as we 

reflect on the past year: the ongoing 

recruitment of the best of the best investigators 

to further the research enterprise— 

with more to come; the opening of the research laboratory 

building, truly a “grand” opening; and the incredible success of 

the Campaign for Research, marked by the generosity of 

Jack and Shelley Blais and all of 

the exceptional donors who have 

made a commitment to furthering 

research at the University of 

Massachusetts Medical School. 

Together, we are helping to prove 

that UMMS can lead the way to 

biomedical discoveries that will 

shape the future of health in the 

21st century. 

The excitement derived from this 

incredible growth is felt by all 

those who serve on the Worcester 

Foundation Board of Trustees, and 

we were pleased to welcome four 

new trustees in 2001: John W. 

Bassick, Matthew F. Erskine, Leonard 

M. DeFino and Celia D. Rumsey. Jack is executive vice 

president of David Clark Company of Worcester. Matt is 

managing partner of the Worcester law firm Erskine & Erskine 

and chairman of the H.Arthur Smith Charitable Foundation, 

which has established three endowed chairs at UMMS through 

the Worcester Foundation. Leonard and Celia have become 

involved through their deep interest and support of the 

Medical School’s stellar diabetes research program. Leonard is 

president of AJD Holding Company of Cleveland. Celia is a 

contemporary artist and sculptor in Santa Fe.We look forward 

to their service. 

On behalf of the board, I would like to thank those trustees 

whose dedication to the Worcester Foundation cannot be 

overstated.As Irwin B. Levitan, PhD, Robert M. Quinlan, MD, 

and Louise C. Reimer, step down from the board, we are 

grateful for their keen guidance and fidelity to the mission 

of the Worcester Foundation during their tenures, and wish 

them well. 

In 2001, we were greatly saddened by the passing of Jacob 

“Jack” Hiatt, once referred to by the Boston Globe as 

“Worcester's Dream Maker.” He served as a trustee of the 

Worcester Foundation from 1969-87, and then as an honorary 

trustee until his death in February. Mr. Hiatt’s lifelong commitment 

to the city of Worcester was legendary and was 

reflected in his overwhelming dedication to the improvement 

of education and the celebration of the arts.With his passing, 

Worcester has lost a great philanthropist, and the Worcester 

Foundation and UMMS a great friend. 

Another former trustee, Dr. Jim Ebert, and his wife,Alma, 

were tragically killed in May in a car accident north of 

their Baltimore home. A leader in the biomedical research 

community, Jim served with distinction as a trustee from 

1986-95. He was a professor of biology at Johns Hopkins 

University, vice president of the National Academy of 

Sciences, and previously served as president of the Carnegie 

Institution of Washington. 

Dr. Eliahu Caspi, a principal scientist emeritus of the Worcester 

Foundation, and well known by many in the Foundation and 

Worcester communities, died in May. Dr. Caspi made important 

discoveries in understanding the mechanisms of synthesis of 

steroid hormones and related biochemical substances. We 

are honored that his family is establishing a lectureship in 

his memory, with the first lecture scheduled for May 9, 2002. 

Dr. Caspi is sorely missed by his friends and colleagues. 

In November, we lost another esteemed scientist retired 

from the Worcester Foundation—Dr. Elijah Romanoff. 

Each of these impressive individuals will be remembered for 

their foresight in advancing support of biomedical research. 

In closing, I want to acknowledge my predecessor, Morton 

H. Sigel, who stepped down after five years as chairman of 

the Worcester Foundation. It was Mort who led the Foundation’s 

negotiations to merge with UMMS in 1997, resulting in a 

highly successful collaboration that holds even greater promise 

for the future. His shoes are certainly large ones to fill, but I 

look forward to the challenge. 

With grateful thanks and best wishes, 

Christopher W. Bramley 

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M E S S A G E F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T 

The year 2001 was marked by excitement 

and anticipation as we ushered in a new era 

of biomedical research at the University of 

Massachusetts Medical School. In just 30 years, 

UMMS has risen to achieve national prominence with our 

ambitious research enterprise; funding is projected to reach 

$123 million this year. Ranked second out of 10 Northeast 

public medical schools in funding from the National Institutes 

of Health—265 individual awards with 14 program, project 

and center grants—and an impressive fourth among 30 medical 

schools founded since 1965, UMMS is on the rise, providing 

the momentum for the institution to become one of the 

outstanding research medical schools in the country. 

In October, a dream was realized on campus with the dedication 

and opening of the new research laboratory building. 

In just over two years, the structure was designed and constructed 

to facilitate the latest in cutting-edge biomedical 

research. Made possible by the unwavering support of the 

Worcester Foundation and the UMMS community, the 

building stands as a symbol of the successful collaboration that 

has defined the relationship of the two since their merger in 1997. 

Recognizing that the key to furthering growth is in the 

recruitment of outstanding scientists, the 360,000-squarefoot 

facility will house 100 new investigators, of which 30 

have already been recruited from some of the most prestigious 

universities and institutes in the country. These scientists, 

along with our current accomplished faculty, will undertake 

research to discover the causes of and cures for the most 

devastating diseases of our time. They will explore the 

genetic basis of disease, leading to further understanding of 

how genes work, and develop gene therapy techniques for 

the insertion of new genes into cells. They will tackle diabetes 

and other autoimmune diseases, and embark on new frontiers 

in immunology. Research programs in neuroscience will be 

launched, with implications for disorders ranging from 

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome to Alzheimer’s disease and 

the understanding of the genetics of mental illness. 

Program in Chemical Biology and appointed Tariq Rana, 

PhD, as its first director, who will guide the program in 

applying the power of chemistry to the molecular basis of 

disease.We welcomed nationally recognized dermatologist 

and virologist Elliot Androphy, MD, to the Department of 

Medicine as the Barbara and Nathan Greenberg Chair in 

Biomedical Research and the Department of Medicine’s vice 

chair for research. 

Among our ranks, we count two 

of the most highly cited scientists 

in the world and three Howard 

Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. 

Our scientists are publishing 

in the most prestigious journals, 

including Cell, New England Journal 

of Medicine, Science and Nature and 

presenting their research at distinguished 

conferences around the 

world. And to bring 2001 to a 

close, we welcomed four of the 

country’s pre-eminent researchers 

to this fall’s Scientific Symposium, 

reflecting our highest aspirations 

for scientific achievement. 

In the coming year, our priority will be the recruitment of 

a director for our Cancer Center. I am looking forward to 

an incredible 2002 for the UMMS research enterprise. 

John L. Sullivan, MD 

Director, Office of Research 

UMMS Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Medicine 

This exciting year also encompassed a series of events and 

accomplishments celebrating superior science.With the 

support of a four-year, multi-million dollar grant from the 

Howard Hughes Medical Institute, we implemented the 

3


T H E W O R C E S T E R F O U N D A T I O N B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S 

Pictured at the board's Fall 2001 meeting are (seated, left to right, front row): Martin Pollak, Guy Nichols, Diane Dalton, Joan 

Bok, Christopher Bramley, Dr. H. Brownell Wheeler, Mort Sigel, Rayna Keenan and Mel Cutler. Back row, standing, left to right: 

Dr. John Sullivan, Dr. Alison Taunton-Rigby, Leonard DeFino, Penelope Rockwell, Warner Fletcher, Dr. Maurice Martel, 

Matthew Erskine, Robert Schultz, James Harrington, Dr. Edward Bresnick, John Bassick, John Herron Jr., M Howard Jacobson, 

Grant Winthrop, Dr. Thoru Pederson, UMMS Chancellor and Dean Aaron Lazare, Barbara Greenberg and Robert Freelander. 

The Trustees of the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research, an organization supporting 

basic biomedical research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, also serve as the 

lay advisory council for the Medical School’s research enterprise. In this role, the trustees act as 

counselors to the chancellor/dean and to the director of the Office of Research. Principal responsibilities 

include providing counsel and advice on matters such as: strategic planning, research affiliations, finance and 

philanthropy, commercial ventures and intellectual property, and physical plant and special equipment. At the 

behest of the chancellor/dean, the trustees act to facilitate research programs at the Medical School in light of 

its mission, goals and objectives. 

4

Officers 


Chairman 

Martin M. Pollak 

Vice Chairman 


President 

Melvin S. Cutler 

Treasurer 

Diane G. Dalton 

Secretary 

Trustees 

John W. Bassick 

Executive Vice President 

David Clark Company, Inc. 

Worcester, Massachusetts 

Helen H. Beekman 

New York, New York 

Robert D. Blute Jr., MD 

Assistant Professor of Surgery 

and Interim Chief of Urology 

University of Massachusetts 

Medical School 


Joan T. Bok 

Boston, Massachusetts 


President and CEO 

Banknorth Massachusetts 


Edward Bresnick, PhD 

Bow, New Hampshire 

James M. Clark 

President of the Corporation 

Woods Hole Oceanographic 

Institution 

Woods Hole, Massachusetts 

Melvin S. Cutler 

Chairman 

Cutler Associates, Inc. 


Founder and Chairman 

Madison Bank 

Palm Harbor, Florida 

Diane G. Dalton 

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 

Leonard M. DeFino 

President 

AJD Holding Company 

Cleveland, Ohio 

Matthew F. Erskine, Esq. 

Managing Partner 

Erskine & Erskine 


Jack Fishman, PhD 

Director of Scientific Research 

Professor of Biochemistry 

Strang/Cornell University 

Medical Center 


Warner S. Fletcher, Esq. 

Director 

Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple, PC 


I. Robert Freelander 


Susan E. Gotz 


Barbara R. Greenberg 


James H. Harrington 

Chairman and CEO 

Dolphin Resource Group, Inc. 


John Herron Jr. 


Prentiss C. Higgins 

Wellesley, Massachusetts 

M Howard Jacobson 

Senior Advisor 

Bankers Trust 

Private Advisory Services 

Westborough, Massachusetts 

V. Craig Jordan, PhD, DSc 

Diana, Princess of Wales 

Professor of Cancer Research 

Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center 

Northwestern University 


Chicago, Illinois 

Rayna Keenan 


Nina Joukowsky Köprülü 

Director 

Joukowsky Family Foundation 


Maurice H. Martel, DDS 

Holden, Massachusetts 

Joseph E. Murray, MD* 

Emeritus Chief of Surgery 

Harvard Medical School 

Emeritus Chief of Plastic Surgery 

Brigham & Women’s Hospital 

and Children’s Hospital 


Guy W. Nichols 

Newton, Massachusetts 

O. Nsidinanya Okike, MD 

Professor of Surgery 

Vice Chair, Division of Thoracic 

and Cardiac Surgery 




Thoru Pederson, PhD 

Vitold Arnett Professor 

of Cell Biology 

Professor of Biochemistry 

& Molecular Pharmacology 




Riccardo Pigliucci 

CEO 

Discovery Partners International 

San Diego, California 

Martin M. Pollak 

Consultant 

GP Strategies Corporation 


Penelope B. Rockwell 


Celia D. Rumsey 

Santa Fe, New Mexico 

Paul S. Russell, MD 

John Homans Distinguished 

Professor of Surgery 

Harvard Medical School 

Massachusetts General Hospital 


Robert Schultz 

President 

Schultz Lubricants, Inc. 

West Boylston, Massachusetts 

Morton H. Sigel 

Chairman of the Board 

and President 

Tekscan, Inc. 



Professor of Pediatrics 

and Molecular Medicine 

Director, Office of Research 




Alison Taunton-Rigby, PhD 

President and CEO 

Forester Biotech 

Lincoln, Massachusetts 

H. Brownell Wheeler, MD 

Harry M. Haidak Distinguished 

Professor of Surgery Emeritus 




Grant F. Winthrop 

Partner 

Milbank Winthrop and Company 


Honorary 

Trustees 

Étienne-Émile Baulieu, PhD, MD 

Paris, France 

Robert A. Bernhard 


Nancy L. R. Bucher, MD 

Lexington, Massachusetts 

Jane D. Claflin 


Robert Cushman 

Naples, Florida 

George R. Dunlop, MD 


Orrie M. Friedman, PhD 

Brookline, Massachusetts 

Mahlon Hoagland, MD 

Thetford, Vermont 

Thomas R. Mountain, Esq. 


*Nobel laureate 

5

Campaign 

The 

for Research 

In its role of supporting the research enterprise of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, 

the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research is helping to lead the Campaign for Research. 

The Campaign is the Medical School’s first major capital fund-raising effort, with its goal of 

$38 million aimed to accelerate advances in biomedical research through: 

· the recruitment of 100 new research faculty; 

· the construction and outfitting of the new 360,000-square-foot research laboratory building 

on the Medical School campus; 

· the enhancement of existing research programs through increased support; 

· the development of major new research programs in genetics and neurobiology; and 

· the growth of the endowment to provide a stable base of support for the future of the research enterprise. 

The following are highlights of the Campaign through 2001: 

Campaign is Launched by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO 

The Campaign began in 1999 with a $5 million pledge by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO to establish the 

Massachusetts AFL-CIO Cancer Research Center.The center’s research programs occupy the fourth floor in the new 

research laboratory building. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO is completing its pledge through an annual fund-raising 

walk held each Labor Day; the Walk to Cure Cancer has so far raised $1.5 million toward the goal. 

New Research Laboratory Building Opens 

Just 30 months from architectural design conception, the new research laboratory building opened in late August 2001. 

Its 360,000 square feet of space will house the research activities of the Department of Medicine, the Massachusetts 

AFL-CIO Cancer Research Center, the Program in Gene Function & Expression, the Department of Neurobiology 

and the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology. The building was dedicated during grand opening 

events in October 2001, which were capped by a major scientific symposium held on campus. 

6

The University of Massachusetts 

received an awe-inspiring gift— 

the largest philanthropic donation 

from an individual in its history— 

when Jack and Shelley Blais 

increased their commitment to 

the Campaign for Research by 

$15 million, to total $21 million. 

Jack and Shelley Blais’ gift of $21 million to the Medical School is the largest gift to the University of 

Massachusetts in its history. The Blaises are pictured here celebrating the new research building’s dedication 

in October 2001. 

Largest Gift in the University’s History: $21 million from Jack and Shelley Blais 

The University of Massachusetts received an awe-inspiring gift—the largest philanthropic 

donation from an individual in its history—when Jack and Shelley Blais increased their 

commitment to the Campaign for Research by $15 million, to total $21 million. Their 

latest magnificent gift was made during a surprise announcement at the October dinner 

celebrating the dedication of the research building. 

The Blaises have directed their gift to name the research building after Chancellor and Dean 

Aaron Lazare. Mr. Blais remarked at the October dinner: “We have been so impressed 

with the accomplishments at UMass Medical School under the leadership of Chancellor 

and Dean Aaron Lazare, that the only thing ‘wrong’ with this beautiful new building is 

that it doesn’t have a name. We want this building to have a name: the Aaron Lazare 

Medical Research Building.” 

A portion of the Blaises’ gift, $5 million, has been directed to name the John H. Pierce 

Pediatric Research Laboratories, while another portion of their gift, $1 million, is to be used 

by the chancellor at his discretion. The entrance pavilion in the research building has been 

named for the Blaises in recognition of their inspiring generosity. 

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Newly Named Facilities 

In appreciation of the generosity of the many leadership 

and major gifts made thus far to the Campaign for 

Research, facilities within the research building have 

been named as follows: 

Naming of the New Research Laboratory Building 

in Honor of Chancellor/Dean Aaron Lazare 

The John H. Pierce Pediatric Cancer Research 

Laboratories/Peter E. Newburger, MD Suite 

The Blais Pavilion 

Jack and Shelley Blais 

Massachusetts AFL-CIO Cancer Research Center 

Massachusetts AFL-CIO 

The DeFeudis Atrium, Levels 1-3 

Gene J. and Mary C. DeFeudis 

The Bruce Pollak Atrium, Levels 4-6 

In loving memory by Martin and Ellen Pollak 

The David L. and Goldie C. Michelson 

Conference Room 

Mrs. David L. Michelson 

Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research 

Board Room 

Dr.Aaron Lazare in recognition of the 

WFBR Board of Trustees 

The Joyce Conference Room 

Ms. Leni Joyce 

The Svenson Family Conference Room 

In loving memory of Polly J. Epstein 

John and Elinor Svenson 

The Tara Katherine Bean Conference Room 

Karen and Robert Bean 

The Bruce Mannooch Conference Room 

Anonymous 

Newly Named Endowed Professorships 

Seven positions have been endowed by generous individuals 

through the Campaign for Research thus far. Endowed 

positions, awarded to leading scientists in their fields, 

carry high prestige and visibility within the medical 

research community and provide their recipients with 

annual income to help accelerate their cutting-edge research. 

The newly endowed positions and donors are as follows: 

Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetics 

Mrs. Sarah M.Adams 

Barbara and Nathan 

Greenberg Chair 

in Biomedical 

Research 

Nathan and Barbara 

Greenberg Charitable 

Trust 

Higgins Family 

Professorship in 

Neuroscience 

The Family of Alice C. 

and Milton P. Higgins 

Arthur F. and Helen P. 

Koskinas Chair 

in Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology 

Arthur F. and Helen P. Koskinas 

Gladys Smith Martin Chair in Gastrointestinal Cancer 

H.Arthur Smith Charitable Foundation 

David J. and Barbara D. Milliken Professorship 

in Preventive Cardiology 

Barbara D. Milliken 

The Ellison Foundation 

Donald and Mary Melville 

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce S. Phillips 

Barbara Helen Smith Chair in Preventive 

and Behavioral Medicine 

H.Arthur Smith Charitable Foundation 

Gene and Mary DeFeudis in the atrium named 

in their honor in recognition of their leadership 

gift for cancer research. 

The Booth-Rockwell Conference Room 

Barbara Allen Booth 

Penelope B. and Sherburne B. Rockwell Jr. 

8 

The Housen Research Support Facility 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Housen

Major Support for New Scientist Recruitment 

The following individuals have made generous gifts or 

pledges to support new scientist recruitment, a major 

initiative of the Campaign for Research: 

Dr. and Mrs. Robert Blute Jr. 

Coghlin Electrical Contractors 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cushman 

Warner and Mary Fletcher 

Barbara and Nathan Greenberg 

Mr. and Mrs. James Harrington 

John Herron Jr. and Julia L. Moore 

Grant and Hope Winthrop 

Newly Named Endowment Funds 

Three newly named endowment funds have thus far 

been established through the Campaign for Research. 

The investment income from these endowment funds 

provides annual support, critically important funding in 

perpetuity for the purposes designated by the donor(s). 

The newly endowed funds and their donors are as follows: 

Elise and Monroe England Endowed Fund 

for Biomedical Research 

Elise V. and Monroe B. England 

Robert M. and Nancy Edman Feldman Fund 


Robert M. and Nancy Edman Feldman 

Ina R. and Haskell R. Gordon Fund 


Ina R. Gordon in loving memory of Haskell R. Gordon 

Newly Recruited Research Faculty 

The University of Massachusetts Medical School 

welcomes the following new members to its research 

faculty, recruited since January 1, 2000. They are 

exemplary leaders and scientists destined to help further 

the Medical School’s reputation as one of the leading 

biomedical research institutions in the country. 

Faculty Chairs and Directors 

Robert W. Finberg, MD 

Chair, Department of Medicine 

Interim Director, Massachusetts AFL-CIO 

Cancer Research Center 

Richard M. Haidack Professor of Medicine 

Recruited to UMMS from Harvard Medical School, 

Dr. Finberg’s research links the mechanisms of infectious 

disease with the causes of and cures for cancer. His laboratory 

focuses on three principal areas of cell biology: 

the mechanism by which viruses infect cells, how certain 

proteins on the surface of the body’s cells stimulate cell 

growth, and the mechanisms involved in the development 

of protective immunity. 

Edward I. Ginns, MD, PhD 

Professor of Psychiatry 

Director, Irving S. and Betty Brudnick 

Neuropsychiatric Research Institute 

Dr. Ginns came to UMMS from the National Institute 

of Mental Health. His research is focused on inherited 

disorders affecting the nervous system, with an emphasis 

on understanding the role of genetic factors in susceptibility 

to and protection from mental illness. 

C. Robert Matthews, PhD 

Chair, Department of Biochemistry 


Recruited to UMMS from Pennsylvania State 

University, Dr. Matthews’ research studies the mechanisms 

by which biological proteins fold into unique 

shapes—an area of great potential for drug discovery 

and drug design. 

Steven M. Reppert, MD 

Chair, Department of Neurobiology 

Higgins Family Professor of Neuroscience 

Dr. Reppert came to UMMS from Harvard Medical 

School. Disorders of the circadian system include jet 

lag and chronic conditions such as sleep disorders. 

Dr. Reppert’s research focuses on the cellular and 

molecular mechanisms of the circadian clock and holds 

great promise for the development of treatments for a 

range of disorders. 

Research Faculty 

Elliot J. Androphy, MD 

Professor and Vice Chair of Research, 

Department of Medicine 

Barbara and Nathan Greenberg Chair 

in Biomedical Research 

From Tufts University School of Medicine, Dr.Androphy 

is a nationally recognized dermatologist and virologist, 

dedicated to two areas of research: the viral implications 

of the human papillomavirus (HPV) and the underlying 

molecular causes of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). 

Zheng-zheng Bao, PhD 

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine 

Recruited to UMMS from Harvard Medical School, 

Dr. Bao is particularly interested in studying the genetic 

9

10 

pathways involved in the establishment of neuronal 

connections and formation of organs such as the heart 

and brain. 

Lucio H. Castilla, PhD 

Assistant Professor, Department of 

Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology/ 

Program in Gene Function & Expression 

From the National Human Genome Research Institute 

at the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Castilla, a 

Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Scholar, 

focuses his studies on cancer genetics to develop a better 

understanding of the genes (and pathways) associated 

with the initiation and progression of acute myeloid 

leukemia. 

Wim E. Crusio, PhD 

Professor, Department of Psychiatry/Irving S. 

and Betty Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute 

Recruited to UMMS from the University René Descartes 

in Paris, Dr. Crusio investigates the hippocampus area of 

the brain, which plays an important role in behaviors 

such as learning and memory, exploration, anxiety and 

aggression.This brain area has also been implicated in 

debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s and depression. 

Patrick Emery, PhD 

Assistant Professor, Department of Neurobiology 

Dr. Emery came to UMMS from Brandeis University. 

Particularly interested in researching circadian and 

addictive behaviors in the common fruit fly, Dr. Emery and 

colleagues are working on the premise that discoveries 

made in this organism may play a crucial role in understanding 

the human biological clock. 

Paul D. Gardner, PhD 

Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry/Irving S. 


From the University of Texas Health Science Center at 

San Antonio, Dr. Gardner’s research is focused on gene 

receptors that have been implicated in a variety of brain 

processes and pathologies, including learning and memory, 

aging, nicotine addiction, anxiety, schizophrenia and 

dementia. 

Roger D. Johnson, PhD 

Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology/ 

Massachusetts AFL-CIO Cancer Research Center 

Dr. Johnson was recruited to UMMS from the Sloan- 

Kettering Institute of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer 

Center. His lab studies the consequences of genomic 

instability in the aberrant increase of cancer cells. 

William R. Kobertz, PhD 

Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry 


Recruited from Brandeis University, Dr. Kobertz studies 

the function and modulation of ion channels, the proteins 

that create electricity within the body that drive the 

rhythm of the heart, maintenance of arterial tone and 

insulin release by beta cells in the pancreas. 

Theodore J. Koh, MD 

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine 

Dr. Koh came to UMMS from Harvard Medical School. 

His lab is primarily interested in the role of gastrin— 

a hormone secreted by the mucosal lining of the stomach 

and intestines of mammals that is vital to the regular growth 

and development of the gastrointestinal tract—and its 

role in the development of stomach and colon cancers. 

Hong-sheng Li, PhD 


Recruited to UMMS from Johns Hopkins University 

School of Medicine, Dr. Li is seeking to identify novel 

mechanisms by which calcium regulates neuronal function. 

An influx of calcium can influence cell proliferation 

and differentiation in the developing nervous system, 

while abnormalities in receptor-operated calcium influx 

can lead to defects in brain development. 

Haley Melikian, PhD 

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry/Irving S. 


Dr. Melikian came to UMMS from Harvard Medical 

School. She studies neurotransmitter transporters, an 

important group of proteins in the brain that soak up 

the signaling chemicals by which nerve cells communicate. 

Since a number of psychoactive drugs bind to transporters 

and block neurotransmitters, findings from Dr. Melikian’s 

studies are likely to shed light on the mechanisms 

underlying depression and addiction to stimulant drugs. 

Mary Munson, PhD 

Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry 


Recruited from Princeton University, Dr. Munson’s 

research is focused on structural and biochemical studies 

of yeast proteins that mediate exocytosis, the process by 

which vesicles in the cell cytoplasm fuse with the plasma 

membrane, opening the contents of the vesicles to the 

outside. Exocytosis is used to release substances, such as 

hormones or neurotransmitters, from the cell—a process 

crucial for maintenance of cellular integrity and normal 

cell growth.

Tariq Rana, PhD 

Professor, Department of Biochemistry 


Director, Program in Chemical Biology 

Dr. Rana came to UMMS from the University of 

Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood 

Johnson Medical School. His lab is focused on learning 

more about the molecular mechanism of Tat function 

(one of the novel proteins expressed by HIV-1) and 

developing small molecules to control this replication. 

He and his colleagues have also pioneered a new field 

to regulate biological functions through small molecule 

RNA interactions, research that has broad implications 

for the design of new therapeutic agents and antibiotics. 

Heidi A. Tissenbaum, PhD 

Assistant Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine/ 


Recruited from MIT, Dr.Tissenbaum is ultimately 

concerned with discovering the underlying causes of 

aging, using the model organism nematode worm, 

C. elegans, to investigate molecular mechanisms of aging. 

Scott Waddell, PhD 


Also from MIT, Dr.Waddell researches learning behaviors 

in the fruit fly and their subsequent relevance to learning 

behaviors in humans. 

Nancy Feldman, Jack and Shelley Blais and 

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert 

Haynes are flanked by Chancellor and Dean 

Aaron Lazare and UMass President William 

Bulger as they dedicate the new research building. 

Thomas Jessell, PhD, lectures at the 

October 2001 Scientific Symposium. 

Nancy Feldman joins hosts Peter Mehegan and 

Lisa Ling at the Gala kicking off the Campaign 

for Research. 

Nicholas R. Rhind, PhD 

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry 


Recruited from the Scripps Research Institute, Dr. Rhind 

focuses his research on the checkpoints during the 

regulation of the cell cycle. Checkpoints are mechanisms 

that cells use to deal with problems such as DNA damage 

or replication errors—problems that can lead to the 

development of cancer. 

Siu Ing The, PhD 



Dr.The, a Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research 

Scholar, came to UMMS from Harvard Medical School. 

Using Drosophila (the common fruit fly) as her model 

organism, she is studying the signaling and distribution 

mechanisms of specific molecules called “Hedgehog” or 

Hh proteins, and their impact on normal development 

and tumorigenesis. 

Timothy C. Wang, MD 

Professor, Department of Medicine 

Chief, Gastroenterology Division, 

UMass Memorial Health Care 

Gladys Smith Martin Chair in Gastrointestinal Cancer 

Recruited from Harvard Medical School, Dr.Wang’s 

research focuses on the hormone gastrin and its role in 

the development of stomach and colon cancer. His laboratory 

has shown that longer, less processed forms of 

gastrin are important growth factors that contribute to 

the progression of colon cancer in animal studies. 

Scot Wolfe, PhD 



Dr.Wolfe came to UMMS from MIT. His lab is attempting 

to create proteins that can regulate a single gene of 

interest inside a cell, ultimately establishing a highly 

adaptable gene-targeting system. Such proteins are critical 

as they could be used as tools to study the function 

of any desired gene. 

11

Donors to the Campaign for Research 

We are deeply grateful to the many donors who have provided generous philanthropic support for medical 

research through the Campaign for Research (1999-2004). Gifts, pledges and eligible planned gift intentions of 

$1,000 or more to the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research and the UMass Memorial Foundation for 

the Campaign for Research through December 15, 2001, are listed below: 

12 

DIAMOND 

Jack and Shelley Blais 

PLATINUM 

Anonymous (1) 

Mrs. Sarah M. Adams 

Gene J. and Mary C. DeFeudis 

Nathan and Barbara Greenberg 

Charitable Trust 

Arthur F. and Helen P. Koskinas 

Massachusetts AFL-CIO 

Dr. and Mrs. Arthur M. Pappas 

H. Arthur Smith Charitable Foundation 

GOLD 

Estate of Kenneth C. Cotton 

Estate of Alice C. Higgins 

The Iacocca Foundation 

Martin M. and Ellen Pollak 

SILVER 

Anonymous (1) 

Dr. Vitold Arnett 

Karen and Robert W. Bean 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts 

Nancy Edman Feldman 

Simeon J. Fortin Charitable Foundation 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Housen 


Dr. and Mrs. Aaron Lazare 


Our Danny Cancer Fund 

The Rose Family: 

Ralph and Shirley Rose 

Sidney and Rosalie Rose 

Mr. Jon R. Shakour 

John R. and Elinor Svenson & Family 

In loving memory of Polly J. Epstein 

BRONZE 

Anonymous (4) 

Evelyn Silver Acaso and Eduardo Acaso 

Mrs. Mary P. Benedict 

Tina and Seth Bilazarian 

Dr. and Mrs. Robert D. Blute Jr. 

Mrs. Howard M. Booth 

Christopher W. and Charlotte Bramley 

Bushrod H. Campbell and Adah F. Hall 

Charity Fund 

Coghlin Electrical Contractors 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cushman 

Cutler Associates, Inc. 

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. DeFino 

Mary M. Doyle 

Mr. Spiro J. Efstathiou 

In loving memory of John Efstathiou 


J. Irving and Jane L. England Charitable Trust 

Elizabeth Taylor Fessenden Foundation 

Fleet Bank 

Mr. and Mrs. Warner S. Fletcher 

Mr. and Mrs. Norton Foxman 

Mr. and Mrs. I. Robert Freelander 

Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman 

New York Foundation for Medical Research 

Edith C. Gauch Trust 

Allan S. Goff Foundation 

Mrs. Ina R. Gordon 

In loving memory of Haskell R. Gordon 

Stephen R. Gorfine, MD '78 

William P. Haas Trust 

Francis A. and Jacquelyn H. Harrington 

Foundation 

Robert D. Harrington Unitrust 

The Salah M. Hassanein Foundation 

John Herron Jr. and Julia Moore 

Mr. and Mrs. Prentiss C. Higgins 

Hold Brothers On-Line Investment Services 

Mr.* and Mrs. Louis C. Iandoli 

Lionel and Lucile* Laramee 

Estate of Seville M. Malone 

Dr. and Mrs. Maurice H. Martel 

Mrs. Mary McKee 

Mr. Guy W. Nichols 

Estate of Ruby Philbrook 

Pittsfield Anti-Tuberculosis Association 

Polar Beverages 

Mrs. Joseph H. Quick 

Raytheon Company 

Louise C. Riemer 


Blair O. Rogers, MD 

Lester and Joan Sadowsky 

The Sea Breeze Foundation 

Mr. and Mrs. Morton H. Sigel 

H. Arthur Smith Fund 

Greater Worcester Community Foundation 

Estate of Mrs. Robert W. Stoddard 

John and Lynn Sullivan 

Estate of Helen Swartz 

Estate of Julius J. Tegelberg 

Mr. and Mrs. Steven M. Testa 

Elliot,* Trish and Daniel Tonna 

Estate of Helen A. Toombs 

Mary M. Tse, MD '77 

Verizon 


Worcester Foundation Auxiliary 

Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Yamin 

FRIENDS 

Trevor O. and Patricia Kelleher Bartram 

Estate of Zylpha B. Brown 

Drs. Michael P. Czech and Silvia Corvera 

Banknorth Massachusetts 

Dr. and Mrs. Edward I. Ginns 

Dr. and Mrs. H. Maurice Goodman 

Hart Foundation 

Dr. and Mrs. Allan S. Jacobson 

James Annenberg Levee Charitable Trust 

Estate of Anne A. Levine 

Marois Brothers, Inc. 

Drs. C. Robert Matthews 

and Paula-Ann Pricken 

Dr. Thoru Pederson 

In honor of Robert Cushman 

Olive Higgins Prouty Foundation 

Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth L. Rock 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Schechter 

Dr. Cheryl R. and Mr. Richard A. Scheid 

Drs. Gary S. and Janet L. Stein 

Estate of Elizabeth K. Smith 

SUPPORTERS 

Anonymous (1) 

The Behrakis Foundation 

Ms. Joan T. Bok 

The Boston Edison Foundation 

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Bouley Jr. 

Louis P. and Linda D. Bregou 

Christos and Mary Cocaine Charitable Trust 

Mr. and Mrs. Dix F. Davis 

Dr. Marianne Felice and Mr. John M. Giles III 

Dr. and Mrs. Edward G. Fey 

Drs. Robert W. Finberg and Joyce Fingeroth 

Mr. and Mrs. Albert Fins 

Estate of Richard E. Goodwin 

H & S Bakery, Inc. 

Aldus C. Higgins Foundation 

Hyman and Shirley Hill Charitable Foundation 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Krakoff 

Mr. and Mrs. Paul LaCamera 

Mr. and Mrs. John H. Mannen 

Mr. and Mrs. Tom McPhee 

Bruce D. Minsky, MD '82 

Mary and Richard Myers 

Robert and Charlene Nemeth 

Neonatology Associates 

NSTAR Foundation 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pappas 

Parthenon Capital Foundation 

Mr. and Mrs. George Place Jr. 

Mr. and Mrs. Peter A. Previte 

The Rachel Foundation 

Schwan's Sales Enterprises, Inc. 

Mr. Mark Logan Shelton 

Margaret E. Sherman Trust 

Mr. and Mrs. A. Ledyard Smith Jr. 

Mr. William Yeager 

Mr. and Mrs. Armand Yelle 

* Deceased

Donor Supports 

‘Remarkable Research’ 

Goldie Michelson has devoted much of her life to the 

theater. 

to turning 100 on her next birthday—she has 

In fact, she proudly states that—in addition 

“directed plays in virtually every church and 

school throughout the city, including pageants at the Worcester 

Art Museum.”Yet despite her love of the stage, it was the biomedical 

research undertaken at UMass Medical School that 

“directed” Mrs. Michelson as she planned her estate. 

“My daughter Renee inspired me to make these plans now,” 

explained Mrs. Michelson. “And I thought of research first 

because if there is anything anybody can do to rid the world of 

diabetes or heart disease, I think it’s wonderful.” 

So, in the summer of 2000, as the structural steel of the new 

research laboratory building was “topped off,” Mrs. Michelson began her relationship with UMass Medical 

School and the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research—a relationship that would eventually lead to 

the naming of The David L. and Goldie C. Michelson Conference Room in honor of her planned gift for 

research.“The new building is awesome,”commented Mrs. Michelson.“If you stop to think about the 100 or 

more scientists who will inhabit it, something good will definitely come from their work.” 

Besides her daughter and son-in-law, Renee and Leonard Minsky of Bangor, Maine, Mrs. Michelson counts 

many muses throughout her life who have inspired her philanthropy. She describes her father, a Russian immigrant 

and dry goods merchant who initially came to the U.S. to study medicine, as someone who believed that those 

with means should help others. “He always said that this country had been so good to him; that those of us 

who are lucky should look out for those who have less.” Her father’s example shines through not only in Mrs. 

Michelson’s philanthropic support, but also in her advocacy for the newest immigrants to this country. 

Currently, she teaches English to two international students attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute and is 

hosting a Vietnamese doctor studying for her board certification to practice in the U.S. She has also helped with 

the placement of numerous newly arrived scientists and engineers in jobs over the last 20 years. 

Mrs. Michelson credits friend Rae Budnitz, wife of the late Edward Budnitz, MD, one of the East Coast’s first 

cardiologists and longtime UMass Medical School faculty member, with familiarizing her with the Worcester 

Foundation’s Hudson Hoagland Society. And, she fondly remembers how her engineer husband David introduced 

her to many of Worcester’s top physicians, including Dr. Budnitz, while creating the first non-hospitalaffiliated 

medical offices throughout the city, the model for today’s community-based practices. 

“A friend of mine told me recently that her little granddaughter, a girl of 12, had gone to see her doctor for 

a routine physical and found that she had diabetes,” noted Mrs. Michelson.“If you’re blessed with health yourself, 

it really affects you to hear things like this.The sooner a cure is found, the better. And to think about the 

remarkable things being done in research; I’m glad to be a part of it.” 

To learn more about how to remember the Worcester Foundation in your will or other estate plans, please contact 

Mary Flynn Myers at 508-856-1411. 

13

Year 

The 

in 

Review 

UMMS SCIENTISTS ARE BURROUGHS WELLCOME RECIPIENTS 

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund’s Career Award in the Biomedical 

Sciences is one of the field’s most competitive and prestigious honors: 

it provides career development assistance and $500,000 over five 

years in recognition of outstanding graduate and postgraduate 

research. In 2001, UMass Medical School recruited two of the year’s 

23 recipients of the award.William R. Kobertz, PhD, assistant professor 

of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, came to UMMS from 

Brandeis University, where he studied the structure, function and 

modulation of ion channels, the proteins that create electricity 

within the body. Assistant Professor of Molecular Medicine Heidi A. 

William Kobertz, PhD 

Tissenbaum, PhD, formerly of MIT and now a member of the 

Program in Gene Function and Expression, is working to identify molecular mechanisms of aging. 

Heidi Tissenbaum, PhD 

NIH GRANT SUPPORTS GENE FUNCTION AND EXPRESSION RESEARCH 

The Program in Gene Function and Expression was the beneficiary in 2001 of a $2 million grant from the National 

Institutes of Health, through the National Center for Research Resources, to construct laboratory space in the 

new research building that was planned to be “shelled,” or initially left unfinished. Directed by Michael R. Green, 

MD, PhD, professor of molecular medicine and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Program in 

Gene Function and Expression currently consists of five faculty who specialize in diverse areas of genetics, including 

aging and cancer. 

14

BRUDNICK INSTITUTE ADVANCES 

THROUGH RECRUITMENT AND EQUIPMENT 

At the Irving S. and Betty Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research 

Institute, led by Director Dr. Edward I. Ginns, investigations 

into the biological origins of mental illness are advancing through 

the recruitment of exceptional scientists and the acquisition of 

state-of-the-art equipment.Wim E. Crusio, PhD, professor of 

psychiatry and an expert in the hippocampus area of the brain, 

was director of research at the University René Descartes 

before leaving Paris for Worcester. Associate Professor of 

Psychiatry Paul D. Gardner, PhD, came to UMMS from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 

where he established a research program on the regulation of receptor genes within the nervous system. After a 

postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School, Haley Melikian, PhD, was 

appointed assistant professor of psychiatry at UMMS; she studies a group of proteins in the brain called neurotransmitter 

transporters.The Brudnick Institute’s purchase of San Diego-based SEQUENOM’s MassARRAY system 

also gives UMMS investigators cutting-edge technology to examine DNA variations in the human genetic code 

that not only contribute to psychiatric illness, but also to a wide range of additional medical disorders. 

Paul Gardner, PhD, Haley Melikian, PhD, and Wim E. Crusio, PhD, of 

the Brudnick Institute 

UMMS SCIENTISTS PUBLISH IN PRESTIGIOUS JOURNALS 

During the summer of 2001, UMMS researchers published significant work in major scientific journals: Craig C. 

Mello, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and associate professor of molecular medicine, published 

a paper titled “Genes and Mechanisms Related to RNA Interference Regulate Expression of the Small Temporal 

RNAs that Control C. elegans Developmental Timing” in the July issue of Cell. Also in Cell, Professor of Molecular 

Medicine William E.Theurkauf, PhD, published “In Vivo Analysis of Drosophila bicoid mRNA Localization Reveals a 

Novel Microtubule-Dependent Axis Specification Pathway.” Michael R. Green, MD, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical 

Institute Investigator and professor of molecular medicine, in an August issue of Science, published “Induction of 

Apoptosis by a Secreted Lipocalin That is Transcriptionally Regulated by IL-3 Deprivation.”And Assistant Professor 

of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology Phillip D. Zamore, PhD, published “A Cellular Function for the 

RNA-Interference Enzyme Dicer in the Maturation of the let-7 Small Temporal” in an August Science. 

Pictured from left: Craig Mello, PhD, 

William Theurkauf, PhD, Michael Green, 

MD, PhD, and Phillip Zamore, PhD 

15

INVESTITURE CELEBRATES 

NEW ENDOWMENTS THROUGH WFBR 

Three endowed professorships and an 

endowed chair were established at UMass 

Medical School through the Worcester 

Foundation for Biomedical Research in 

2001.The Gladys Smith Martin Chair in 

Gastrointestinal Cancer, established by the 

H.Arthur Smith Charitable Foundation in 

honor of Mr. Smith’s late sister, was 

awarded to Professor of Medicine Timothy 

C.Wang, MD, who is internationally recognized 

for his study of the hormone 

gastrin and its role in the development of 

stomach and colon cancer.The Smith 

Charitable Foundation also funded the 

Barbara Helen Smith Chair in Preventive 

and Behavioral Medicine, which honors 

Mr. Smith’s cousin; Judith K. Ockene, 

PhD, professor of medicine, director of 

the Division of Preventive and Behavioral 

Medicine and principal investigator of the 

National Institutes of Health Women’s 

Health Initiative, was invested into the 

chair.The Higgins Family Professorship in 

Neuroscience was funded by both the 

Higgins Charitable Remainder Unitrust, 

established by Alice C. and Milton P. 

Higgins II, and the Higgins Family Fund, 

a permanent endowment fund established 

by the Higgins family. The professorship, 

the first endowment for the new 

Department of Neurobiology, was awarded 

to Steven M. Reppert, MD, professor and 

chair of the department and a leading 

expert on biological rhythms. Barbara 

and Nathan Greenberg of Worcester were 

recognized at the Investiture ceremony 

Gregg McCarty Wang (left) and Timothy Wang with members of the H. Arthur Smith 

Charitable Foundation, trustees Janice and Pamela Martin and Chairman Matthew 

Erskine, at June 2001 Investiture ceremonies. The Gladys Smith Martin Chair in 

Gastrointestinal Cancer, held by Dr. Wang, is named in memory of Janice's and 

Pamela's mother. 

Vivian Sigel (left) and husband Mort Sigel (second from right), immediate past chairman 

of the Worcester Foundation, at Investiture ceremonies with Nathan and Barbara 

Greenberg, who established the Barbara and Nathan Greenberg Chair in Biomedical 

Research at UMMS. 

for their establishment of the Barbara and Nathan Greenberg Chair in Biomedical Research. Elliot J.Androphy, MD, 

a nationally recognized dermatologist and virologist, has been named the inaugural chair, and will be invested during 

ceremonies in 2002. 

16

$6.7M NIH GRANT SUPPORTS CANCER RESEARCH COLLABORATION 

A five-year, $6.7 million program grant from the National Institutes of Health in 2001 to the UMass Cancer Center 

is supporting the efforts of a team of 50 faculty and staff to study the method by which genes are redistributed in 

the nucleus of a tumor cell. A direct result of successful collaboration among UMMS departments over the past 

several years, the grant incorporates molecular, cellular and genetic approaches and involves junior and senior 

investigators with laboratories in every research facility on the Worcester campus. 

WFBR TRUSTEE JORDAN RECEIVES HONORARY DEGREE 

In recognition of his significant contributions to cancer research,Worcester Foundation Trustee V. Craig Jordan, 

PhD, DSc, was awarded an honorary degree at UMass Medical School’s 2001 Commencement. Thirty years ago, 

as a visiting research fellow at the former Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Jordan completed his 

early investigations into the anti-estrogen effects of tamoxifen, the line of research for which he is now renowned. 

Jordan is the Diana, Princess of Wales Professor of Cancer Research, director of the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer 

Research Program at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, and professor of cancer pharmacology 

and biological chemistry at Northwestern University. 

Chancellor and Dean Aaron Lazare and Commencement speaker Christine Cassel, MD '76, applaud WFBR trustee and honorary degree 

recipient V. Craig Jordan, PhD, DSc. 

17

Annual 

The 

Research 

Each year, nearly 1,000 

donors contribute unrestricted 

support, which is used to 

assist research investigators 

at the University of 

Massachusetts Medical School 

as they pursue promising 

leads to uncover the causes 

of devastating illnesses. 

Fund 

Gifts of all sizes are made to the Worcester Foundation through the Annual Research Fund, which 

includes a growing leadership donor club, the Hudson Hoagland Society. Each year, nearly 1,000 donors 

contribute unrestricted support, which funds research scientists at the University of Massachusetts 

Medical School as they pursue promising leads to uncover the causes of devastating illnesses. 

Since 1998, a total of 40 investigators have received $1.2 million in 

ARF funding.The philanthropy provided by the ARF has not only 

led to some significant discoveries, but has also proven catalytic in 

obtaining millions of dollars of subsequent extramural funding. 

The following investigators are recipients of 2000-2001 grants: 

Edward I. Ginns, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry and director, 

Irving S. and Betty Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute: 

Mental Health Wellness Genes: Protection From Manic Depressive Illness. 

Employing cutting-edge technology to examine DNA from normal 

individuals versus people suffering from, or genetically predisposed 

to, manic depressive illness, Dr. Ginns is hoping to identify the 

genes implicated in this disorder. Once identified, these newly discovered genes can be precisely studied as to their 

function and dysfunction. 

Lawrence J. Hayward, MD, PhD, assistant professor of neurology: Mechanisms of Motor Neuron Degeneration in 

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Dr. Hayward is examining the process of nerve cell degeneration that typifies 

diseases like ALS. While such degeneration is the defining attribute of these conditions, it is not completely understood. 

18

Jean A. King, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry: Predicting Early Risk For Depression with Functional Magnetic 

Resonance Imaging. Dr. King is using the sophisticated FMRI technology, which can measure the actual biochemical 

status of cells, particularly their metabolic level and state of intercellular signaling, to develop a 

database of brain images in a prospective study of the onset of depression. By linking the image database 

with the subsequent onset of disease, it is hoped that early signposts will be identified that will be highly reliable 

for anticipating depressive illness. 

Kendall L. Knight, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology: Defining the Role of 

the Rad52 Protein in Maintaining the Functional Integrity of the Human Genome. The cells of the body have a 

remarkable capacity for repairing damage to their DNA. Dr. Knight has been working on a component of 

the DNA repair equipment of cells, a protein called Rad52 (HsRad52), to determine how this protein collaborates 

with the rest of the DNA repair machinery, with the goal of developing a deeper understanding of 

this crucial process. 

James F. Paskavitz, MD, assistant professor of neurology: Functional MRI of Executive Cognitive Dysfunction in 

Multiple Sclerosis. Dr. Paskavitz is applying the powerful method of FMRI to develop a database of patient 

images, through which it will be possible to identify both the most prevalent sites of brain alterations associated 

with MS, as well as the degree of patient-to-patient variation. The results of this project may offer the 

managing physician a deeper base of information on the patient, as well as help the family understand 

and cope with behavioral changes. 

Thoru Pederson, PhD, professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology and the Vitold Arnett Professor 

of Cell Biology: Hormone Regulation of a Gene Implicated in Human Aging and of Relevance to Stem Cell 

Therapeutics.This research is aimed at finding better ways to control the production in cells of an enzyme 

called telomerase, which builds and maintains special protective structures at the two ends of each chromosome 

(DNA). The project is designed to test a novel idea for inducing cells to make higher levels of telomerase 

in certain biological situations, potentially including stem cell therapeutics. 

German A. Pihan, MD, assistant professor of pathology: Biology and Genetics of the Reed-Sternberg Cell in 

Hodgkin’s Disease. Dr. Pihan’s research focuses on discovering the molecular basis of the genesis of the 

Reed-Sternberg (RS) cell, the malignant cell in Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Using a combination of in vivo 

microscopy and complementation cloning techniques, he is investigating the mechanism that determines 

how these cells become multinucleated, which will ultimately lead to more effective and selective drugs 

against the disease. 

Lawrence D. Recht, MD, professor of neurology and surgery: A Feasibility Test of Stem Cell Therapies. As it 

has been very difficult to compare the potential of stem cells to incorporate into tissues and repair defects, 

Dr. Recht has developed a novel assay system in which such cells, harvested from various tissues and ages, 

can be incorporated into blastocysts, early embryos that have not yet begun to differentiate.With this system, 

he anticipates the ability to accurately assess these cell types for their potential use in clinical therapeutics. 

Maria L. Zapp, PhD, assistant professor of molecular genetics & microbiology: Development of Novel Assay Systems 

to Study HCV Replication. With an interest in cellular and viral gene expression, Dr. Zapp is investigating the 

mechanism of hepatitis C virus replication. Despite the availability of HCV cDNAs, there is no efficient, 

reproducible in vitro system for studying HCV replication. Dr. Zapp’s project is aimed at developing such a system. 

19

The Hudson Hoagland Society 

Explorer Phil Buck shared the details of his planned 10-year 

expedition to traverse the world’s oceans at the 16th annual 

meeting of the Hudson Hoagland Society, held in June. 

Before a rapt audience, Buck enthusiastically discussed the 

ancient art of reed ship construction and his amazing journey from 

The reed ship, “Viracocha” 

the coast of Chile to Easter Island, the initial leg of the expedition 

completed in the spring of 2000. Buck’s is the first known reed ship expedition to circumnavigate the globe, 

supporting the theory that civilizations of antiquity could have crossed ocean expanses in primitive boats. 

Each spring, the Hudson Hoagland Society convenes to hear from a speaker who embodies the spirit of exploration, 

the same spirit that drives basic research.The Society, established in 1985, is open to individuals who make annual 

gifts of $1,000 or more to the Worcester Foundation’s Annual Research Fund. Since its inception, the Society has 

raised over $3 million for scientists pursuing new avenues of inquiry. 

This spring, the Society will feature oceanographer Robert D. Ballard, PhD, as its speaker at its 17th annual meeting. 

Renowned for undersea discoveries of shipwrecks, including the Titanic, Bismarck and Lusitania, Dr. Ballard most 

recently combed the floor of the Black Sea in search of artifacts that would support the theory that a cataclysmic 

flood struck the region some 7,000 years ago, a possible basis of the biblical story of Noah and his Ark. 

The Society’s membership, which grew by 24 over the last year under the leadership of Dr. Maurice H. Martel of 

Holden, is guided by executive committee members: John W. Bassick,Tina Bilazarian, Spiro Efstathiou,Warner S. 

Fletcher, Laura Glazier, Dr. Abraham W. Haddad, Dr. Ralph S. McCracken Jr., Patricia A. Moynihan, Penelope B. 

Rockwell, Joan Sadowsky, Morton Sigel and Deborah Sloane. 

20 

THE HUDSON HOAGLAND SOCIETY 

(JULY 1, 2000 TO NOVEMBER 30, 2001) 

DONORS OF $10,000 OR MORE 

Dr. Thomas J. and Adelaide S. Vander Salm 

DONORS OF $5,000 TO $9,999 

Anonymous 

James M. and Ruth Clark 


Drs. O. Nsidinanya Okike and Kreszentia 

M. Strobel 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Prouty 

Mrs. Louise C. Riemer 

DONORS OF $2,500 TO $4,999 

Dr. and Mrs. Michael Bernhard 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bernhard 

Mrs. Howard M. Booth 


Mr. and Mrs. Martin M. Pollak 

DONORS OF $1,000 TO $2,499 

Evelyn Silver Acaso and Eduardo Acaso 

Mr. and Mrs. Michael P. Angelini 


Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Bafaro 

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Bassick 

Trevor O. and Patricia Kelleher Bartram 

Helen and William Beekman 

Mrs. Rosamond E. Bennett 

Allen D. and Sarah G. Berry 

Windsor and Jacquelyn Bigelow 

Tina and Seth Bilazarian 

Mr. and Mrs. George S. Bissell 

Mr. and Mrs. Kyver M. Blumstein 

Dr. and Mrs. Robert D. Blute Jr. 

Ms. Joan T. Bok 

Mr. George F. Booth II 

Mr. Robert W. Booth 

Ms. Bari Boyer and Dr. Marshall Katzen 

Christopher W. and Charlotte Bramley 

Dr. and Mrs. Edward Bresnick 

Dr. Jerry R. Brooks 

Neal C. and Agneta Brown 

Dr. Edward* and Rebecca Budnitz 

Dr. Gerald J. Carroll 

Zelda and Samuel Chafetz 

Henry J. and Elaine Ciborowski 

Christos and Mary T. Cocaine 

P. Kevin and Clare K. Condron 

Rebecca B. Crocker 

Jeanne Y. Curtis 

Robert and Mary S. Cushman 

Dr. and Mrs. Mark Cutler 

Mr. and Mrs. Melvin S. Cutler 

Drs. Michael P. Czech and Silvia Corvera 

Mr. and Mrs. David F. Dalton 

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce G. Daniels 

Theodore* and Marjorie Deitz 

Maureen and John C. DeMarco 

Louise I. Doyle 

Mary M. Doyle 

Dr.* and Mrs.* James D. Ebert 

Mr. Spiro J. Efstathiou 

In memory of John Efstathiou 


Mr. Elisha W. Erb 

Matthew F. and Carolyn W. Erskine 

Mr. Allan Farber 

Mrs. Merrill Farber 

Barbara Elliott Fargo 

Mrs. Beatrice A. Feingold 

Nancy Edman Feldman 

Drs. Robert W. Finberg 

and Joyce Fingeroth 

Kathryn M. Fisk 

John and Virginia Flagg 

Warner S. and Mary Fletcher 

Edward and Joyce Flynn 

Dr. and Mrs. Judah Folkman 

Domenic and Patricia Fratantonio

Joan and Richard Freedman 

I. Robert and Aviva Freelander 

Esther and Howard G. Freeman 

Liz and Bob Frem 

Mr. Paul H. Gallagher 

and Ms. Sandra Mayrand 

Lisa and Peter Gibbs 

Leo and Lucy Gilson 

Dr. Wayne and Laura Glazier 

Mr. Allen M. Glick 

Mr. and Mrs. Edward M. Glick 

William and Diana Glimm 

Timothy J. Gollan 

Drs. Joel M. Gore and Deborah M. DeMarco 

Mrs. Haskell R. Gordon 

Richard C. and Susan Gotz 

Drs. Ivan R. and Noreen M. Green 

Drs. Michael R. Green and Maria L. Zapp 

Barbara and Nathan Greenberg 

Dr. and Mrs. John P. Gusha 

Mr.* and Mrs. William P. Haas 

Dr. and Mrs. Abraham Haddad 

Joy Wetzel Hall 

Dr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Halpin 

Mr. and Mrs. James H. Harrington 

Evelyn S. Heller 

In memory of Dr. Hyman Heller 

John Herron Jr. and Julia L. Moore 

Prentiss C. and Polly Higgins 

Mr. and Mrs. William J. Hill 

Drs. Shuk-Mei Ho and Tom Chung 

Mahlon and Olley Hoagland 

Nancy and Don Hodes 

Marjorie and Charles B. Housen 

Charles F. and Louise Hugo 

Louis C.* and Ann D. Iandoli 

Dr. Richard S. and Diane Irwin 

Dr. Frederick H. and Eleanor Jackson 

M Howard and Frances Jacobson 

John and Georgia S. Jacobson 

Robert E. and Joanne Jenal 

Mr. and Mrs. John Jeppson 

Drs. V. Craig Jordan and Monica Morrow 

Shirley and Benson Kane 

John F. and Rayna Keenan 

Mr. and Mrs. William D. Kelleher Jr. 

Mr. Thomas L. Kempner 

Mr. and Mrs. B. A. King 

Nina Joukowsky Köprülü and Murat Köprülü 

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Krintzman 

Jean Krintzman 

In memory of Abraham Krintzman 

Pauline F. Krull 

Ms. Susan Landis 

Dr. and Mrs. Aaron Lazare 

Mrs. T. Charles Lee 

David A. Lemoine and Mary Cotter-Lemoine 

Mr.* and Mrs. George Levine 

Stephen B. and Valerie Loring 

William D. Maney and Jane Stark Maney 

Mr. Thomas D. Manning 

Dr. Maurice H. and Rita Martel 

Merrill and Steve Marx 

Dr. and Mrs. David M. Matson 

Drs. C. Robert Matthews 

and Paula-Ann Pricken 

Dr. Ralph S. McCracken Jr. 

Myles and C. Jean McDonough 

Dr. and Mrs. Glenn Adair Meltzer 

Drs. W. Peter Metz and Phyllis Pollack 

Mrs. Goldie C. Michelson 

In memory of David L. Michelson 

Laurence K. and Shirley S. Miller 

Vivian B. Morales 

Dr. and Mrs. John M. Moran 

Mr. Thomas R. Mountain 

James J. and Patricia Moynihan 

Frederic and Victoria Mulligan 

Mary and Richard Myers 

Michael and Mary Beth Noonan 

Miss Evelyn M. Norsten 

Dr. and Mrs. Robert J. O'Connell 

Drs. Judith K. and Ira S. Ockene 

Jonathan and Natalie Palley 

Mrs. Marion S. Palm 

George K. Parker III and Larri Tonelli Parker 

Drs. Thoru and Judith Pederson 

Deborah A. Penta 

Marlene and David Persky 

Mr. and Mrs. William O. Pettit Jr. 

Riccardo and Carole Pigliucci 

Cynthia and Stephen M. Pitcher 

Roger P. and Gloria Plourde 

The Pollak Family 

In memory of Bruce Pollak 

Mrs. Joseph H. Quick 

E. Paul and Joyce L. Robsham 

Dr. Kenneth L. and Carol Rock 


Ralph and Shirley Rose 

Sidney and Rosalie Rose 

Drs. Alonzo H. Ross and Elizabeth J. Luna 

Dr. Aldo A. and Ann Rossini 

Beverly and Oscar Rudnick 

Dr. and Mrs. Paul S. Russell 

James P. and Barbara Sadowsky 

Joan and Lester Sadowsky 

Christina and Robert Schultz 

Mr. Norman L. Sharfman 

Dr. and Mrs. Stanley A. Shustak Jr. 

Robert M. and Dr. Shirley S. Siff 

Morton H. and Vivian Sigel 

Robert and Susan Sigel 

Mrs. Willard S. Simpkins 

Jonathan and Deborah Sloane 

Barbara H. Smith 

Mr. Richard J. Stanton 

Drs. Gary and Janet Stein 

Mr. and Mrs. John C. Stowe 

John and Lynn Sullivan 

Dr. Daniel G. and Madeleine K. Tear 

Mr. and Mrs. Sumner B. Tilton Jr. 

E. Paul Tinsley 

Mr. and Mrs. Herbert M. Varnum 

Randi von Steinwehr and Charles Whipple 

Mark and Barbara Wetzel 

Todd and Charlotte Wetzel 

Dr. H. Brownell and Betty Wheeler 

Ervin and Marie Wilkof 


Dr. George and Rita Witman 

Dr. Rosalie Wolf* 

Susan and David K. Woodbury 

William A. and Judith S. Yoffie 

*Deceased 

ADDITIONAL DONORS 

(JULY 1, 2000 - JUNE 30, 2001) 

DONORS OF $500 TO $999 

Mr. and Mrs. Kyver Blumstein 

Mrs. Phoebe Ann Freeman 

Mr. and Mrs. John B. Hench 

Mrs. Adelaide D. Bagley 

Ms. Meg Lansing 

Mr. and Mrs. Howard R. Lurier 

Mrs. Mary McKee 

Mrs. John D. Stubbs 

Mr. and Mrs. Theodore A. Underwood 

DONORS OF $100 TO $499 

Dr. and Mrs. Eero A. Aijala 

Howard J. Alfred, MD 

Mrs. Lillian Rice Anderson 

Drs. M. Sawkat and Ursula Anwer 

Mr. Norman H. Arter 

Mr. and Mrs. Randall S. Barko 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Barton 

Mr. and Mrs. George L. Bayrouty 

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Beaney 

Mr. William L. Bernhard 

Rabbi and Mrs. Seth Bernstein 

Mrs. Mary D. Blake 

Mrs. Harry E. Boorky 

Mr. David D. Borland 

Mr. and Mrs. John M. Bradley 

Mr. Arthur F. Braman 

Mr. and Mrs. George L. Brownell II 

Mr. and Mrs. James R. Buonomo 

Mr. Douglas P. Butler 

Dr. William T. Carleton 

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph R. Carter 

Mrs. William G. Chafee 

21

22 

DONORS OF $100 TO $499, con’t 

Mr. George A. Clark 

Mrs. Irene Clason 

Dr. and Mrs. Martin A. Compton 

Mr. and Mrs. Fairman C. Cowan 

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Cox Jr. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bigelow Crocker Jr. 

Mrs. Elizabeth M. Davis 

Mr. and Mrs. David L. Dean 

Mrs. Gardner G. DeMallie 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Donoghue 

Mr. Robert A. Eddy 

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph L. Ellis 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Ellis 

Mrs. Theodore English 

Mr. Irvin E. Erb 

Miss Louise T. Erskine 

Mr. and Mrs. Alan L. Feingold 

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene A. Fischer 

Mr. Justin L. Fletcher 

Mr. and Mrs. Bernard I. Friedlander 

Dr. Bernard J. Gersh 

Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Giles Jr. 

Mrs. Joseph Goldberg 

Mr. and Mrs. Henry A. Greenberg 

Cdr. and Mrs. Howard P. Handleman, Ret. 

Mr. Timothy J. Haynes 

Mrs. Mary Bullard Hennessy 

Ms. Susan J. Hessel 

Mr. Harold Hindman 

Dr. and Mrs. Edwin L. Hubbard 

Mr. and Mrs. Oliver V. Inge 

Mr. Barry Jaffe 

Ms. Mildred E. Johnson 

Ms. Margaret N. Kalenian 

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Kaplowitz 

Mr. and Mrs. Zarvin J. Kasparian 

Drs. I. Charles and Janice Kaufman 

Dr. and Mrs. Harry Kavoogian Jr. 

Dr. and Mrs. Charles Stephen Kelly 

Mr. and Mrs. Harry P. Kotseas 

Mrs. Marjorie P. Lee 

Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel R. Lerner 

Dr. Donald W. Light 

Dr. A. Brian Little 

Mrs. Erma M. Lougee 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Lovelace 

Mrs. Pauline M. Lundgren 

Mr. and Mrs. Alan V. Malkasian 

Mrs. John L. Malone 

Ms. Janet E. Malser 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. McCray 

Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop H. McGown 

Mr. and Mrs. John L. McKie 

Mr. Robert L. McLeod 

Mrs. Sidney Medlinsky 

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Q. Meystre 

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Midwood 

Mr. and Mrs. David S. Morgan 

Mr. and Mrs. Paul S. Morgan 

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Morris 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Moser 

Mrs. Henrietta N. Paine 

Ms. Leona A. Paslaski 

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen P. Pollak 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Powers 

Mr. and Mrs. Saul I. Reck 

Mr. and Mrs. Clyde S. Reynolds 

Mr. and Mrs. Clesson A. Robbins 

Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Rosenfeld 

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Rowe 

Mr. and Mrs. Allen Rubin 

Mr. and Mrs. Sanford H. Russell 

Mr. Michael J. Selissen 

Mr. Walter H. Sharawara 

Mrs. Abraham Sherman 

Mrs. Jean H. Simonds 

Wilfred T. Small, MD 

Mrs. Arthur K. Smith 

Dr. and Mrs. Mark E. Stoker 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard D. Stone 

Alison Taunton-Rigby, PhD 

Mrs. John R. Townsend 

Dr. and Mrs. Horatio J. Turner 

Mr. Gordon M. Tuttle 

Mr. Brian F. Vigneaux 

Mr. and Mrs. W. David Warner 

Mr. and Mrs. Fred N. Webster 

Mrs. Constance V. R. White 

Mr. and Mrs. Irvine F. Williamson 

Mr. Ralph O. Winger 

Mrs. R. Mildred Zuckerman 

CORPORATE AND 

FOUNDATION DONORS 

(JULY 1, 2000 TO JUNE 30, 2001) 

Anonymous (2) 

Hollis E. and Gwendolyn D. Alden 

Foundation 

BioHybrid Technologies, Inc. 

Tillie and William Blumstein 

Family Foundation 

Robert W. Booth Fund 

In memory of George F. Booth at the 


Briarwood Resident Association 

Central/Goulet Supply 

Ciborowski Insurance Agency 

J. Irving and Jane L. England 


Elizabeth Taylor Fessenden Foundation 

First Massachusetts Bank 

FleetBoston Financial Foundation 

Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple, PC 

Freelander Family Charitable Trust 

Jewish Community Endowment Foundation 

In loving memory of David J. Freelander 

Friedman, Hurwitz & Aliber 


Nathan and Barbara Greenberg 


Marilyn and Mike Grossman Foundation 

Bushrod H. Campbell and Adah F. Hall 

Charity Fund 

Harlyn Foundation, Inc. 

Francis A. and Jacquelyn H. Harrington 

Foundation 

Hart Foundation 

Aldus C. Higgins Foundation 

Iacocca Foundation 

Jewish Community Endowment Foundation 

Joukowsky Family Foundation 

The Kingsley Foundation 

The Kirby Foundation 

Krintzman Charitable Foundation 

LUTCO Ball Bearings 

Madden Communication, Inc. 

Frances F. Mansfield Fund 


McLaughry Associates, Inc. 

Merck & Company Foundation 

Morgan-Worcester, Inc. 

National Grid 

Norton Company Foundation 

Parthenon Capital Foundation 

David A. Persky Trust 

Phillips, Silver, Talman, Aframe & Sinrich, PC 

Bruce Pollak Foundation 

Olive Higgins Prouty Foundation 

The Rachel Foundation 

Rawling Insurance Agency 

RMF Group, Inc. 

The Rockwell Foundation 

Rose Family Charitable Fund 

Margaret E. Sherman Trust 

Siff Charitable Foundation 

H. Arthur Smith Charitable Foundation 

H. Arthur Smith Fund 


Westboro Toyota, Inc. 

Worcester Foundation Auxiliary 

Worcester Sand & Gravel Co., Inc. 

Wyman-Gordon Foundation 

The Zeitz Foundation

Named Endowment Funds 

The Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research is grateful to the following donors and families 

who have established permanent endowed positions or funds to provide ongoing support for biomedical 

research and education programs. For information on establishing a named fund, please contact Mary 

Flynn Myers, Director of Major Gifts, at 508-856-1411. 

Named Funds Providing Support for Endowed Positions 

Vitold Arnett Endowed Professorship Fund 

Established in 1998 through a generous gift from Vitold Arnett, MD, PhD, to endow the Vitold Arnett Professorship 

in Cell Biology. Dr. Arnett established the fund to honor the memory of the Worcester Foundation’s co-founder, 

Dr. Hudson Hoagland, in thanks for providing Dr. Arnett with early career direction. 

Robert W. Booth Endowed Fund in Memory of George F. Booth 

Established in 1992 as an endowment fund through a gift from Mr. Robert W. Booth’s fund in memory of his 

father, George F. Booth, at the Greater Worcester Community Foundation to provide support for research. In 1998, 

the Booth Fund made an additional generous gift to establish the first endowed chair in basic science research, the 

George F. Booth Chair in the Basic Sciences. 

David J. Freelander Memorial Endowment Fund 

Established in 1987 in loving memory of their son David by I. Robert and Aviva Freelander, their family and friends. 

In 1998, this fund was combined with an additional generous gift from the Freelanders to the University of Massachusetts 

Medical School to create the David J. Freelander Professorship in AIDS Research. 

Barbara and Nathan Greenberg Endowed Chair Fund 

Established in 2000 through a generous pledge from the Nathan and Barbara Greenberg Charitable Trust to endow 

the Barbara and Nathan Greenberg Chair in Biomedical Research. Barbara Greenberg, a trustee of the Worcester 

Foundation, and her husband, Nathan Greenberg, a former trustee, have been longtime friends of the Foundation 

and donors to medical research. 

Higgins Family Endowed Professorship Fund 

Established in 2000 with a generous distribution from the Higgins Charitable Remainder Unitrust, made upon the 

death of Alice Coonley Higgins, combined with the assets of the Higgins Family Endowment Fund established at 

the Worcester Foundation in 1991. The fund endows the Higgins Family Professorship in Neuroscience. 

Gladys Smith Martin Endowed Chair Fund 

Established in 2000 by a leadership pledge of the H. Arthur Smith Charitable Foundation to endow the Gladys 

Smith Martin Chair in Gastrointestinal Cancer. The endowment honors the memory of the late Gladys Smith 

Martin, beloved sister of the late H. Arthur Smith. 

Barbara Helen Smith Endowed Chair Fund 

Established in 2000 by a leadership pledge of the H. Arthur Smith Charitable Foundation to endow the Barbara 

Helen Smith Chair in Preventive and Behavioral Medicine. The endowment honors Barbara Helen Smith, a favorite 

cousin of the late H. Arthur Smith. 

H. Arthur Smith Endowed Chair Fund 

Established in 1998 through a generous gift from the H. Arthur Smith Charitable Foundation to endow the 

H.Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research. Mr. Smith was a longtime, generous donor to cancer research at the 

Worcester Foundation during his lifetime. 

23

Named Funds Providing Support for Graduate 

and Postdoctoral Education 

Dr. Mark Steven Albion Fellowship Fund 

Established in 1998 by Worcester Foundation Auxiliary member Ms. Leni Joyce to create a graduate fellowship 

in honor of her son Mark’s birthday. 

George I. Alden Education Fund 

Established in 1991 through a major challenge grant from the George I. Alden Trust to attract new support 

for the Foundation’s educational programs. 

Anonymous Fund 

Established in 1979 by a generous anonymous donor to benefit postdoctoral training and education. 

Ina R. and Haskell R. Gordon Fund for Biomedical Research 

Established in 2001 by longtime friend and donor Ina R. Gordon, in loving memory of her husband Haskell who 

served as trustee of the Worcester Foundation from 1972-87 and then as an honorary trustee from 1987 until his 

death in 1991. Income from the fund will be used to support postdoctoral education. 

Charles B. and Abigail B. Knight Memorial Fund 

Established in 1994 through a generous bequest by Mr. Kenneth H. Knight in memory of his grandparents, 

Charles and Abigail, in support of educational activities. 

Patricia M. O'Connell Summer Student Fund 

Established in 1994 in loving memory of Mrs. Patricia M. O’Connell by her husband,Worcester Foundation scientist 

Dr. Robert O’Connell, friends and family to benefit the summer student education program. 

Mark M. Weisberg Memorial Fund 

Established in 1980 by the family of Mr. Mark M.Weisberg to benefit graduate or postdoctoral student research 

in cancer-related studies. 

Grant Winthrop Fellowship Fund 

Established in 1996 through a gift from the Joukowsky Family Foundation to honor Worcester Foundation Trustee 

Grant Winthrop and his steadfast commitment to research excellence. Income benefits graduate or postdoctoral 

education. 


24

Named Funds Providing Support for Research 

Chester Baylis Jr. Memorial Fund 

Established in 1998 through a generous bequest from longtime Worcester Foundation trustee Mr. Chester Baylis 

to support promising basic biomedical research. 

Barbara G. Brown Fund 

Established in 1998 through a generous bequest from longtime Worcester Foundation friend Barbara Gifford Brown 

to support biomedical research. 

Fred Harris Daniels Fund in Memory of F. Harold Daniels 

Created in 1992 through a generous endowment gift from the Fred Harris Daniels Foundation for the benefit of 

biomedical research. 

Warren A. and Ruth H. Ellsworth Fund 

Established in 1989 by the trustees of the Ruth H. and Warren A. Ellsworth Foundation for the benefit of 


Elise and Monroe England Endowed Fund for Biomedical Research 

Established in 1999 by generous friends Elise V. and Monroe B. England for the benefit of biomedical research, 

preferably in the field of diabetes. 

Samuel Frank Fund 

Established in 1993 by a generous bequest of Mr. Samuel Frank for the benefit of biomedical research. 

General Endowment Fund 

A permanent fund of the Worcester Foundation for general gifts to the endowment for the benefit of 

biomedical research and education. 

Lydia Gifford Fund 

Established in 1998 by a generous bequest from Lydia Gifford for the benefit of biomedical research. 

Mimi Aaron Greenberg Cancer Research Institute 

Created in 1976 as a living memorial to Mimi Aaron Greenberg, widely admired and loved for her vibrant warmth 

and humanity. The Institute provides support for cancer research. 

Olga R. Haas and William P. Haas Fund for Biomedical Research 

Established by the William P. Haas Trust in 2001 upon the death of WFBR donor William P. Haas, for general uses 

and purposes of the WFBR. 

Chester D. Heywood Memorial Fund 

Established in 1979 by generous bequests from Rachel W. and Chester D. Heywood for the benefit of biomedical research. 

Evelyn S. and Judith M. Isaacson Memorial Biomedical Research Fund 

Created in 1983 by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Isaacson in loving memory of their daughter Judith, and amended in 1992 

to include Mrs. Evelyn Isaacson upon her passing, the fund benefits biomedical research. 

Myles Morgan Memorial Fund 

Established in 1979 by family, friends and business associates to honor the memory of Mr. Myles Morgan, 

incorporator and founding trustee of the Worcester Foundation, for the benefit of biomedical research. 

Joseph Persky Biomedical Research Fund 

Established in 1980 to honor the memory of Mr. Joseph Persky,Worcester industrialist, philanthropist 

and longtime friend of the Worcester Foundation, for the benefit of biomedical research. 

25

Martin M. Pollak Fund 

Established in 1990 in honor of Worcester Foundation Trustee Mr. Martin M. Pollak for the benefit of 


Harold R. and Helen G. Rafton Fund 

Established in 1982 through the generous bequests of Mr. Harold R. Rafton and Mrs. Helen G. Rafton 

to provide support for general purposes. 

Morton and Vivian Sigel Fund for Biomedical Research 

Established in 1998 by the Sigels’ children in honor of their parents and to celebrate former Board Chairman 

Mr. Morton H. Sigel’s receipt of the 1998 Hudson Hoagland Award, given in recognition of distinguished service 

to the Worcester Foundation. 

Helen W. Stoddard Fund 

Established in 1999 through a generous bequest from Worcester philanthropist Mrs. Robert W. Stoddard. Mrs. Stoddard 

was a longtime friend of the Worcester Foundation and, at her direction, her fund supports biomedical research. 

Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Scholars Fund 

Established in 1999 by a vote of the Worcester Foundation Board of Trustees to consolidate three major, unrestricted 

endowment funds: the Anna P. Hoagland Memorial Fund (1971), the Einar W. and Gertrude Sundberg Fund (1988) 

and an endowed fund established by a generous anonymous donor (1993). The income from these funds is awarded 

to promising, newly recruited scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Recipients hold the 

title of Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Scholar. 

Wyman-Gordon Fund 

Established in 1988 through a generous gift from the Wyman-Gordon Company for the benefit of biomedical research. 

Named Funds Providing Support for Scientific Lectures 

M. C. Chang Memorial Fund 

Created in 1995 by family, friends and colleagues to honor Dr. M. C. Chang’s pioneering contributions to the study 

of reproductive biology and early development. The income from this fund is used to sponsor the M. C. Chang 

Distinguished Lecture in the field of reproductive biology. 

Gregory Pincus Memorial Fund 

Established in 1967 in memory of Dr. Gregory G. Pincus, renowned reproductive biologist and co-founder of the 

Worcester Foundation. The fund benefits the Gregory Pincus Memorial Lecture. 

26

Planned Gifts and Bequests 

Each year, the Worcester Foundation receives a number of bequests from individuals who have 

demonstrated their commitment to the Worcester Foundation and biomedical research through a bequest 

intention, gift annuity, trust or other planned gift. 

The Gregory Pincus Circle recognizes those individuals who have included the Worcester Foundation in their 

estate plans. The Pincus Circle is named to honor the memory of Worcester Foundation co-founder Dr. Gregory 

Goodwin Pincus, a renowned reproductive physiologist who developed the birth control pill. Members share 

what was Dr. Pincus’ belief, that basic research offers the best hope for understanding and curing disease. 

Through their planned gifts, Pincus Circle members help to extend that spirit of hope to future generations by 

providing financial resources to fuel tomorrow’s research breakthroughs. The Pincus Circle invites inquiries from 

other friends of the Worcester Foundation who wish to make a planned gift in support of research that will benefit 

generations to come. 

GREGORY PINCUS CIRCLE MEMBERSHIP 

Michael P. Angelini, Esq. 

Anonymous (5) 


Mr. Norman H. Arter 

Dr. Étienne E. Baulieu 

Mrs. Rosamond Bennett 

Ms. Susan Marie Boutiette 

Dr. Jerry R. Brooks 

Mrs. Edward C. Budnitz 

Mrs. Cheney E. Cook 

Mr. Robert Cushman 

Mary M. Doyle 

Mr. and Mrs. Albert V. Ferguson 

Jack Fishman, PhD 

Mrs. Phoebe Ann Freeman 

Dr. Orrie M. Friedman 

Mrs. Edwin K. Golrick 

Mr. and Mrs. James H. Harrington 

Richard Horton, MD 

Ms. Dorothy M. Hunt 


Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel R. Lerner 

Dr. John A. McCracken 


Dr. Josephine L. Murray 

Mrs. Mary Flynn Myers 

Mr. and Mrs. John M. Nelson 


Mrs. Marion S. Palm 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Prouty 

Mr. and Mrs. Clesson A. Robbins 


Christina and Robert Schultz 

Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth A. Senter 

Morton and Vivian Sigel 

Mrs. Walter E. Werber 

Mr. William A. Wheeler III 

BEQUESTS RECEIVED THIS YEAR 

Estate of Zylpha B. Brown 

Edith C. Gauch Trust 

William P. Haas Trust 

Robert D. Harrington Unitrust 

Estate of Seville M. Malone 

Estate of Helen Swartz 

Estate of Julius J. Tegelberg 

WFBR co-founders Drs. Gregory Pincus (left) and Hudson Hoagland 

are pictured in this circa 1960 photo. Members of the Gregory 

Pincus Circle share Dr. Pincus’ belief that basic research offers the 

best hope for curing disease. 

27

Our Genomic Era 

Writing on this page in the Worcester Foundation’s 2000 Annual 

Report, I commented that the “completion” of the Human Genome 

Project was only the first step toward the broader goal of discovering 

how the precisely coordinated expression of sets of genes can 

help us understand the lives of cells, as well as ultimately the higher level properties of 

the human organism, so-called emergent properties such as mood and memory, for 

example. In the past year the science of genomics has revealed that most cells in the body share a large set of commonly 

expressed genes, with each type of cell also expressing a set of genes whose operation is unique to that specialized 

cell. Although this sounds like a new insight, it was explicitly predicted by the embryologist and geneticist 

Thomas Hunt Morgan in 1934, who presciently stated that “…different batteries of genes come into action as development 

proceeds.” Thus, the decoding of the complete human DNA sequence is more an analytical advance than 

an intellectual breakthrough. 

Yet, conceptual advances are indeed being made. For example, we now know that some genes can undergo a 

“cut and paste” mode of rearrangement in the body’s cells. This is the mechanism by which antibodies are made, 

custom-fit to latch onto the reciprocal shape of a protein on an invading virus or other foreign substance entering 

the body. I strongly suspect this phenomenon of gene rearrangements is also at play in the construction of the 

brain (though this has not yet been discovered). Rearrangements, at the RNA message level, are also involved in 

producing the complex protein molecules that glue cells to one another in the body. The total complexity of our 

body’s proteins is thus likely to considerably exceed that predicted from our sperm and egg-inherited set of genes. 

This is but one example of how the field of genomics is providing exciting new insights. It also argues that we 

should be cautious in asserting that we are already in the “post-genomics” era—a point emphatically made by 

Dr. Francis S. Collins, Director of the National Center for Human Genome Research at NIH in his address at 

UMass Medical School in October 2001. 

Many laypersons ask me,“How many genes do we have?” The number was first announced as 30,000 or so, yet I 

deliberately gave a figure of 70,000 in my report on this page a year ago. Now, a study published this past summer 

in the journal Genome Biology indeed puts the human gene number at 65,000-75,000. The correct statement is 

that we really aren’t sure yet. 

Before closing, I cannot fail to mention the likely possibility that the science of genomics, directed at the DNA of 

infectious micro-organisms, will be important in the quest of peace-loving peoples of the world to mount regrettably 

necessary defenses against bioterrorism. The joyful dedication of our new research building shortly after the attacks 

of September 11 caused me to recall a passionate statement made 130 years ago by the French biologist Louis Pasteur: 

“Take interest, I beseech you, in those sacred institutions, which we designate under the expressive name of laboratories. 

Demand that they be adorned; they are the temples of wealth and of the future. There it is that humanity grows, 

becomes stronger and better. There it learns to read in the works of nature, symbols of progress and of universal 

harmony, whereas the works of mankind are too often those of fanaticism and destruction.” 

Thoru Pederson, PhD 

Vitold Arnett Professor of Cell Biology 

UMMS Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology 

Director,Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research 

28

Making a Gift 

The Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research welcomes inquiries 

about making a gift in support of basic research. 

For additional information about any of the Foundation’s gift programs 

and their impact on lifesaving research, please contact: 

Patricia Kelleher Bartram 

Director of Development 

or 

Mary Flynn Myers 

Director of Major Gifts 


Four Biotech • 377 Plantation Street • Worcester, MA 01605 • 508-856-1994 

Chancellor and Dean 

University of Massachusetts Medical School 

Aaron Lazare,MD 

Chairman of the Board 



President 



Director,Office of Research 

Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Medicine 


Director 


Thoru Pederson, PhD,Vitold Arnett Professor of Cell Biology 

Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology 


Associate Vice Chancellor for Development 


Kevin G. Courtney 

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Development 


Director of Development 


Patricia Kelleher Bartram 

Director of Major Gifts for Biomedical Research 

Mary Flynn Myers 

Assistant Director of Major Gifts for Biomedical Research 

Margaret K. Lansing 

Major Gifts Officer 

Julie Rowe-Collins 

This annual report is produced on behalf of the Worcester 

Foundation for Biomedical Research by the Office of Public 

Affairs & Publications, University of Massachusetts Medical School. 

Associate Vice Chancellor for University Relations 

and Managing Editor 

Mark L. Shelton 

Associate Director of Publications and Editor 

Andrea L. Badrigian 

Staff Writers 

Kelly Bishop 

Lynn C. Borella 

Mary Beth Dziewietin 

Design 

Ermini Marketing & Design 

Printing 

Atlantic Graphic Services, Inc. 

Photography 

Christopher Navin 

Larry Stein 

UMMS Biomedical Media 

Readers are invited to comment on the contents 

of this annual report. Please address correspondence to: 

Editor, 2001 Worcester Foundation Annual Report 

Office of Public Affairs & Publications 

UMass Medical School 

55 Lake Avenue North 

Worcester, MA 01655-0002 

E-mail: public.affairs@umassmed.edu 

www.umassmed.edu

NON-PROFIT ORG. 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

WORCESTER, MA 

PERMIT NO. 176 

WORCESTER FOUNDATION for BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH 

Four Biotech • 377 Plantation Street • Worcester, MA 01605

Annual Report 2001 - the University of Massachusetts Medical School

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