NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y., Oct. 31, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwell Health endowed seven new chairs and professorships across the organization at its inaugural Celebration of Excellence event held at the New-York Historical Society Museum & Library.

The event brought together philanthropists, physicians and medical scientists to recognize the partnership between Northwell's benefactors and the clinical experts who are shaping the future of health care through excellence in academic medicine. The evening also featured an impact conversation between benefactors Marilyn and Barry Rubenstein and Louis Potters, MD, deputy physician-in-chief of the Northwell Health Cancer Institute, who has been named the Rubenstein Professor in Cancer Research.

"The Marilyn and Barry Rubenstein endowment in cancer research will create an ongoing legacy in cancer-related outcomes research," said Dr. Potters. "I am humbled by the opportunity to shepherd this gift into meaningful results that will impact our patients immediately and into the future."

Endowment support is an integral part of Northwell's Outpacing the Impossible campaign, an ambitious $1 billion, seven-year comprehensive fundraising effort to fuel innovations to advance health care and support Northwell's promise to the people it serves. The campaign was publicly launched last October and to date, has raised more than $562 million with $116 million raised in support of endowment. 

Why endowments are important to Northwell's future
Endowed professorships and chairs carry significant prestige in the scientific, academic and medical fields. They enable Northwell to recognize outstanding faculty accomplishments, support groundbreaking research, and recruit renowned clinicians and researchers to the organization. Endowed gifts provide financial stability in perpetuity, which allows Northwell to make strategic investments to propel new research and advance medicine in areas where it's needed most.

"A gift to build endowment, particularly to endow a position, is a profound gift," said Brian Lally, Northwell's senior vice president and chief development officer. "By its very nature, it is a powerful statement of belief in Northwell, in our mission, and in the people who are delivering that mission."

"Endowed professorships are incredibly important to our talent pipeline and Northwell's future in academic medicine and research," said Lawrence Smith, MD, executive vice president and physician-in-chief for Northwell Health and dean of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. "We are grateful to our generous donors who recognize the importance of this investment so we can take better care of more people who rely on us."

Introducing Northwell's newly installed professors/chairs and the benefactors who support them
The Gambino Medical & Science Foundation established the Frances and Thomas Gambino Professor in Hematology/Oncology to be held by Jeffrey M. Lipton, MD, PhD, chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology & Stem Cell Transplant. Dr. Lipton's research focuses on rare inherited bone marrow failure systems.

Paul and Diane Guenther established the Paul and Diane Guenther Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine. Varinder P. Singh, MD, chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital and chair of the Cardiovascular Medicine service line for the health system's western region, will serve as the inaugural Guenther Chair. Dr. Singh has played an integral role in reestablishing Lenox Hill as a leading center for cardiovascular medicine in Manhattan.

The Karches Family Foundation endowed the Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research. Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, and a pioneer in the study of the molecular mechanism for the inflammatory reflex and creator of bioelectronic medicine, has been appointed to this post.

Additionally, the Karches Family Foundation funded the Kanti R. Rai, MD Professor in Cancer Research in honor of Dr. Rai's lifetime commitment toward diagnosing and treating Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). Nicholas Chiorazzi, MD, who has been appointed to the professorship, is the head of the Karches Center for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Research. The work of his lab has been pivotal in refining patient prognosis for CLL.

The Partners Council for Women's Health supported the Partners Council Professor of Women's Health. Stacey E. Rosen, MD, has been appointed to the professorship. Dr. Rosen leads the Katz Institute for Women's Health and is integral to changing the way we care for women at Northwell.

Marilyn and Barry Rubenstein endowed the Marilyn and Barry Rubenstein Professor in Cancer Research. Louis Potters, MD, deputy physician-in-chief of the Northwell Health Cancer Institute, has been named as the Rubenstein Professor. Dr. Potters' research focuses on the treatment of prostate cancer.

Donald and Barbara Zucker endowed the Donald and Barbara Zucker Professor in Health Outcomes, held by Karina W. Davidson, PhD, MASc, senior vice president of Research and dean of Academic Affairs. A leading psychology and cardiology scientist, Dr. Davidson specializes in the relationship between psychosocial risk factors and mental illness, and their role in the outcome of cardiovascular disease.

In addition, the following clinicians and researchers have been newly appointed to existing endowed professorships, including:
Lance B. Becker, MD, Dorothy and Jack Kupferberg Professor of Emergency Medicine;
Richard E. Braunstein, MD, Arlene and Arthur Levine Professor of Ophthalmology;
Simon J. Hall, MD, Donald and Barbara Zucker Professor of Urologic Oncology.

"Endowment is playing an increasingly important role at Northwell Health," said Michael Dowling, Northwell's president and chief executive officer. "This support of our clinicians, educators and researchers accelerates new and potential cures. It helps us find answers to the unanswerable questions in health care and allows us to keep our promise to our students, our patients and their families and our children's children – today, and many years from now."

To learn more about endowment support and Northwell's Outpacing the Impossible campaign, visit https://give.northwell.edu/endowment.

About Northwell Health
Northwell Health is New York State's largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, about 750 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 70,000 employees – 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We're making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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SOURCE Northwell Health