Successful Funding Breeds Successful Research for Innovative Scientist

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May, 2003

Deerfield, IL – In April 2000, the George and Judy Goldman, founders of the Goldman Philanthropic Partnerships, approached world-famous Mayo Clinic, with which they had developed a high level of confidence and personal relationships, and challenged them to submit truly innovative and otherwise unfunded research projects on multiple myeloma to the Goldman Philanthropic Partnerships for possible funding. Mayo “discovered” nine such languishing opportunities that could not otherwise be funded.   Following stringent analysis by the foundation's scientific advisors, the Partnerships chose Dr. Vincent Rajkumar in the Mayo Division of Hematology for his pioneering concept of how to approach anti-Angiogenesis, involving the development of techniques for cutting off the blood supply to myeloma cells in order to halt cancer growth. He was subsequently awarded a Goldman Philanthropic Partnerships three-year $300,000 senior grant.

Judy and George take great pride in the fact that because they had the foresight to recognize the potential of Dr. Rajkumar's approach to this important anti-Angiogenesis work, this very first Goldman Philanthropic Partnerships grant created a huge success story – both for the line of research and the researcher!  . Because of this recognition and unique early funding from the Partnerships, within less than one year, Dr. Rajkumar was able to obtain additional major grants from the National Institute of Health and others. Dr. Rajkumar is now a leading recognized authority in his field - fulfilling the Goldman Philanthropic Partnerships’ greatest vision of the benefits it is committed to achieve.