$ 25 Million Donation to Advance Parkinson's Research at UCLA



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A $ 25 million donation from a Los Angeles foundation will create Laurie and Steven Gordon's commitment to UCLA's Parkinson's Disease at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. This initiative will accelerate research on disorder, which affects more than 10 million people worldwide.

The donation from the Steven Gordon Family Foundation will fund research, create five faculty chairs in areas related to Parkinson's disease, and support a new laboratory with positron emission tomography, or PET scan, and MRI technology, where scientists can look closely at the mechanisms. of the disease.

Foundation President Steven Gordon is a member of the Executive Committee of UCLA's Centennial Campaign and serves on the Board of Directors of UCLA's Ronald Reagan Medical Center, UCLA Health System and UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate. . He and his wife, Laurie, Chair of the Board of Directors of UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Hospital Stewart, and Lynda Resnick, have been strong advocates for funding neuroscience training and research, particularly in the areas of depression and depression. Parkinson disease.

"The Gordon are generous funders in neuroscience investigations and influential advocates for families affected by Parkinson's disease," said Dr. John Mazziotta, Vice Chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences and CEO of UCLA Health. "The foundation's gift is a testament to Laurie and Steve's commitment to improving the lives and health of people with Parkinson's. I can not thank them enough for their generosity and their vision. "

The donation complements previous Gordons donations to support Parkinson's research at UCLA, including the endowment of the Steven C. Gordon Chair for Parkinson's Research, led by Dr. Carlos Portera. -Cailliau, and the support of a research collaboration with Cedars -Sinai Medical Center and the Weizmann Institute of Sciences in Israel.

"Laurie and Steve have met with many UCLA researchers over the past two years, each of whom is looking at Parkinson's from a unique angle," said Dr. Kelsey Martin, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. "Gordons' gift is a vote of confidence in the promise of team science to elucidate the causes and possible treatments for this debilitating disease. Laurie and Steve are fabulous partners because they understand the power of collaboration and focus within a university medical center. "

In recognition of this donation, the UCLA Neuroscience Research Building will be renamed the Laurie and Steven Gordon Neuroscience Research Building, and the new imaging lab will be named after the couple.

The Gordon hopes other philanthropists will join them in improving the understanding of Parkinson's and developing new treatments. "One of the most rewarding aspects of our philanthropy is its ability to inspire hope for families affected by brain diseases," said Laurie Gordon.

Steven Gordon added, "I have seen Parkinson's disease hitting people I love and so much more. I think our donation will help advance our knowledge for the benefit of patients around the world. "

Steven Gordon is President and principal owner of Domino Realty, a real estate holding company and a venture capital firm. Laurie Gordon is a former lawyer at United Artists Communications and former Vice President of Warner Bros. International Theaters.

This gift is part of UCLA's centennial campaign, which is expected to end in December 2019 during the 100th anniversary of UCLA.

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