Human Face - Moores Cancer Center

Community SupportMakes a DifferenceThe benefits of the Cancer Centerto the local community and itsnational reputation for conductinghigh quality research are among theprincipal reasons behind the highlevel of community support that itsmost ambitious project — the campaignfor a new Cancer Centerbuilding — has enjoyed.Last year, John Moores, majorityowner of San Diego Padres andRegent of the University ofCalifornia, and his wife, Rebecca,made a $20 million commitment tothe project, one of the largest giftsfrom private individuals everreceived by UCSD.The project has also received $15million from longtime supportersand UCSD volunteers Jerome andMiriam Katzin, as well as gifts inexcess of $1 million from UCPresident and former UCSDChancellor Richard C. Atkinson,and his wife, Rita; William andRobin Comer, Frank and LeeGoldberg, Maurice and CharmaineKaplan, and Ron and Mary Taylor.“This support confirms the centralrole that the UCSD CancerCenter plays in cancer research, careand education,” said PeterAnderson, Director of Developmentfor the Cancer Center Foundation.“Intensive efforts are continuing tosecure the remaining funds neededto complete the new building.”Future home of the UCSD Cancer CenterA Distinctive Track RecordThe success of the project to dateis also a reflection of the Center’soutstanding track record. Among itsmore than 200 clinicians andresearchers are seven members ofthe National Academy of Sciencesand one Nobel laureate. One memberranks first in the world in thenumber of high-impact researchpapers he wrote that were quoted byothers in professional journals.Members of the Cancer Preventionand Control Program are knowninternationally as the group thatexposed the role that tobacco advertisingplays in encouraging adolescentsto smoke.Members’ work — which rangesfrom fundamental cancer researchin molecular genetics to the mostadvanced treatments, from drugdiscovery to pain and symptomcontrol, and from population studiesof cancer incidence to communityeducation on prevention andearly detection — includes a numberof highly competitive programgrants. The center is also takingpart in more than 200 clinicaltrials, and its programs in cancerprevention and epidemiology areconsidered to be among the bestin the nation.UCSD ranks among the top 30grantees of the NCI in terms oftotal funding, even without factoringin the latest multimillion-dollaraward.Furthermore, as cancer investigatorswithin a much larger academicenvironment, Center membershave direct access to their universitycolleagues in many otherspecialties and disciplines, creatingan intellectual and scientific crossfertilizationwith the potential tosignificantly advance their efforts.“We are now positioned to fullyfocus on building our vision ofthe cancer center of the future,”said Tarin.7UCSD Cancer Center News