Through the generosity of the Marie-Josee and Henry R.
Kravis Foundation, who are contributing $100MM to Memorial Sloan Kettering, the
Center for Molecular Oncology will move forward more quickly on its goal to expand
gene coverage above the currently 341 known cancer-causing genes and monitor therapy at the molecular
level.
They want to discover why tumors
spread and if the patients were predisposed to cancer, determine what mutations
are driving growth of the tumors. The
gift will create a precision oncology center which will bear the names of Henry and Marie-Josee Kravis. The center states that cancer is a disease of the
genome and they need to integrate vast amounts of molecular discoveries and
analyze patients’ DNA and tumors to develop tumor-specific treatments.
Six gene-sequencing machines are being installed to
analyze tumors.
Mrs. Kravis is Chairperson of the Sloan Kettering
Institute, the research arm, and has been on their Boards of Overseers and
Managers since October 2000. Mr. Kravis
is a private-equity investor. Mr. Kravis
told the Wall Street Journal, “I like to do things that are transformative and more
importantly make a difference.”
Kravis
gifted the Columbia Business School with $100MM in 2010 to fund a new building
that will be completed this year and will bear his name.
