A $25 million gift from the Smilow Foundation, led by William Smilow, will establish the Smilow Center for Precision Therapeutics at Penn Medicine.
The new center will focus on advancing gene-editing technologies and other precision therapies designed to address the underlying causes of cardiovascular disease.
Penn Medicine said the center will support research aimed at developing new therapeutic approaches for forms of heart disease that have historically been difficult to treat.
The initiative is also expected to strengthen Penn Medicine’s work in gene editing and cardiovascular care, with the funding supporting researchers pursuing technologies that could fundamentally change how certain cardiovascular conditions are treated.
The Smilow Foundation’s gift adds a major philanthropic commitment to Penn Medicine’s precision medicine and cardiovascular research efforts.
The center’s work is expected to emphasize therapies that target the biological drivers of disease rather than only managing symptoms.
Penn Medicine also indicated that the funding will help researchers pursue transformative approaches with the potential to improve outcomes for patients with serious cardiovascular conditions.
KEY QUOTES:
“The Smilow Foundation has made an extraordinary commitment to advancing groundbreaking research with the potential to achieve what was once considered impossible: curing previously debilitating forms of heart disease. Their support empowers our researchers to harness transformative innovations to redefine the future of cardiovascular medicine and strengthen Penn Medicine’s leadership in gene editing and cardiovascular care.”
Jonathan A. Epstein, MD, Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine and Executive Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System
