Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has announced a $20 million gift from the Shanghai-based Ge Li and Ning Zhao Family Foundation in support of lung cancer research and new treatment therapies.

The Ning Zhao & Ge Li Family Initiative for Lung Cancer Research and New Therapies will focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the biology of lung cancer and developing new targeted therapies to overcome drug resistance and prevent metastasis. To that end, the gift will support the creation of three Ning Zhao & Ge Li endowed chairs; a research fund; and related work in MSK's Department of Pathology.

Ge Li is chair of WuXi AppTec and WuXi Biologics and Ning Zhao is a member of the board, senior vice president, and global head of Human Resources at WuXi AppTec.

"The specialists at MSK are among the most experienced in the treatment of lung cancer in the world," said David R. Jones, chief of the thoracic service in the Department of Surgery at MSK and co-director of the Druckenmiller Center for Lung Cancer Research. "We offer our patients the most compassionate care and advanced treatment, whether it be surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapy, or radiation. This generous gift comes at a crucial time in the fight against lung cancer and will enable us to bring new treatment approaches to our patients faster."

"We are excited to contribute to the significant research being done at Memorial Sloan Kettering in the field of lung cancer," said Li and Zhao in a statement. "Advancing cancer research is a cause we care deeply about, and it will be extremely gratifying to witness the doctors and researchers put this gift to good use. We look forward to seeing their advances and discoveries in the future."