The University of Michigan has announced a gift of $110 million from Richard and Susan Rogel in support of its Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The gift will support collaborative research and bring outstanding cancer researchers from around the world to the center, which will be named after the couple, pending approval by the university's board of regents. The largest gift ever to Michigan Medicine when combined with a previously announced $40 million commitment from the couple will advance half a dozen priorities, including new approaches and technologies aimed at advancing early detection, monitoring, and treatment of cancer; a collaborative network program that will bring leading international researchers to U-M; the recruitment and retention of dynamic researchers pursuing high-risk, high-reward projects; endowed professorships; support for promising postdoctoral researchers' careers; and scholarships that enable medical students and other pre-doctoral trainees to make lasting contributions to the health of individuals and populations, including those with cancer.

"This generous gift brings major new opportunities for our cancer center to dramatically increase the pace of generating important advances in the cancer field," said Eric R. Fearon, Emanuel N. Maisel Professor of Oncology and director of the  center. "We will be able to develop and apply selected discoveries for new approaches to reduce the burden of cancer and improve quality of life for cancer patients and survivors, as well as assist in building the careers of the next generation of cancer researchers and clinicians."

Richard Rogel, valedictorian of his 1970 class at what is now the U-M Stephen M. Ross School of Business, lost his father to pancreatic cancer, while his wife, Susan, lost both her parents and her daughter to cancer. The couple have committed a total of $188.5 million to the university to date, including gifts in support of the Kenneth G. Lieberthal and Richard H. Rogel Center for Chinese Studies; the Rogel Medical Scholars at the Medical School; and the Rogel Award for Excellence, which provides need-based support to undergraduates. Richard Rogel also chairs the Michigan Medicine Victors for Michigan campaign and the Victors for Michigan Global Student Support Committee and will serve as co-chair of the Victors for Michigan National Campaign Leadership Board.

"The problems we face in health care today are phenomenally complex. We need different minds looking at the same problem in different ways," said Rogel, president of the investing firm Tomay, Inc. and the founder and former chair and CEO of the Preferred Provider Organization of Michigan. "I call Michigan 'Collaboration U' because so many different units work together to solve problems. We have the advantage of ninety-seven graduate departments rated in the top ten in the country. Putting all this brain power and excitement together is going to help us find a cure for cancer. It will make people's lives better, and that's the most important thing."

(Photo credit: University of Michigan)