Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis have made extraordinary contributions to accelerating progress in cancer care at MSK. Their latest venture is the The Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Cancer Ecosystems Project.
Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis have already revolutionized cancer research. Now with a transformational gift of $100 million to establish The Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Cancer Ecosystems Project at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), they are committed to advancing the field even further and saving more lives.
In 2014, the Kravises made a gift to establish the Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology (CMO), a first-of-its-kind research powerhouse dedicated to understanding the molecular drivers of cancer. With the couple’s support, the CMO developed the first FDA-authorized tumor-sequencing test, MSK-IMPACT®, which can detect cancer-associated mutations in hundreds of genes. This breakthrough allows doctors to match patients with drugs that can effectively target and treat their cancer. And in just a few years, the CMO’s work has led to the creation of many life-changing therapies for people with cancer.
But genes are only one piece of the cancer puzzle. Once again, the Kravises, whose philanthropy is informed by decades of experience in finance, analysis, and strategic planning, are helping MSK’s doctors and scientists accelerate progress in cancer care. The Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Cancer Ecosystems Project will tackle the biggest challenges in cancer today, including metastasis, the cause of the vast majority of cancer deaths. Building on the momentum of the past two decades of cancer research, the project will unite specialists across MSK to investigate the complex factors beyond genetics that allow cancer to flourish in the body and to develop treatments to combat its spread.
As Vice Chair of MSK, Chair of the Sloan Kettering Institute, and Chair of the Joint Science Committee of the Boards, Marie-Josée, with her husband, Henry, are helping to shape the future of oncology. “This is a time of extraordinary potential for cancer research,” she says. “I have had the privilege of witnessing MSK lead a revolution in cancer genomics in the past decade, and we are honored to help usher in a new era of ecosystems research that will benefit so many people with cancer.”
Research initiatives are already underway across MSK that use advanced imaging tools and computational techniques to predict where tumors are most likely to spread and to identify environmental factors that spur cancer growth. The Kravis family’s gift will allow MSK to bring new treatments to patients faster than ever before.
“We are profoundly grateful to Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis for their generosity,” says Joan Massagué, Director of the Sloan Kettering Institute and Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Foundation Chair. “Through their partnership, MSK will be able to pursue innovative projects that will help the next generation face every cancer diagnosis with hope and confidence.”
Visit http://mskcc.org/ecosystems-project to read more about The Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Cancer Ecosystems Project.
