5 Million Dollars From Former City Of Hope Scientist Names New Academic Center At City Of Hope

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 31 Jan 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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City of Hope has received a 5 million dollars gift from Orly and Shmuel Cabilly, Ph.D. The gift will support the new Cabilly-Riggs Academic Center and will centralize City of Hope's Graduate School of Biological Sciences, including dedicated space for teaching laboratories, classrooms and administrative offices, as well as a 150-seat auditorium for scientific seminars for students, faculty and outside scientists. The new center will be housed within City of Hope's Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Cancer Immunotherapeutics and Tumor Immunology. The center, now under construction, is named for Cabilly and Arthur Riggs, Ph.D., director emeritus of City of Hope's Beckman Research Institute. In 1981, Riggs and Cabilly, then a postdoctoral fellow in Riggs' laboratory at City of Hope, collaborated with scientists at Genentech on a novel method of making antibodies through recombinant DNA technology, the process in which scientists "edit" DNA to form DNA sequences that do not appear in nature. That work led to patents on the production of novel antibodies and the development of significant cancer-fighting treatments including the drugs Herceptin, Rituxan and Avastin.

Cabilly is the first-named inventor of the Cabilly patent, the basis for numerous widely-used drugs produced by the biotechnology industry. A number of other pharmaceuticals are licensed under the Cabilly patent, including therapies for rheumatoid arthritis and an antibody to prevent organ rejection in kidney transplant patients.

"This gift continues the longstanding and collaborative relationship between Dr. Cabilly and City of Hope, which has enabled scientific advances that have significantly improved the lives of patients with life-threatening diseases," said Michael A. Friedman, M.D., president and chief executive officer, City of Hope. "It is fitting that this generous gift from the Cabillys will support a vibrant academic center for students in the biological sciences to pursue and uncover their own scientific discoveries."

Cabilly and wife Orly have strong ties to City of Hope. While Cabilly served as a post-doctorate in Riggs' laboratory, Orly worked as a research technician in the laboratory of John Rossi, Ph.D., now Lidow Family Research Chair and dean, City of Hope Graduate School of Biological Sciences.

"Orly and I have a rich history with City of Hope. This gift represents our belief in the impact of City of Hope's research and education programs," Cabilly said. "We believe strongly in giving researchers the freedom and resources to explore new scientific avenues, and to pursue innovative ideas to fight life-threatening diseases."

A researcher at City of Hope for more than 30 years, Riggs has developed or co-developed techniques that have led to effective therapies for diabetes, cancer and other diseases. His work on products like synthetic human insulin helped in developing a process for the large-scale manufacturing of protein drugs, which was a necessary foundation for the growth of an emerging biotechnology industry.

"Dr. Cabilly was trained in immunology. I have a long-standing interest in immunology, so it is most appropriate that the Cabilly-Riggs Academic Center is the ground floor of the new Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center, which is largely devoted to research in immunology," said Riggs. "This gift from the Cabilly family will support an array of new initiatives to improve human welfare through scientific advances while offering a robust learning environment for future generations of scientists."

"This generous gift will have a long-lasting impact on our graduate school and the educational experience of our students by enhancing our ability to integrate clinical and academic programs," said Rossi.

Cabilly invented a novel dry buffer technology which enables DNA/protein analysis and is the founder of Ethrog Biotechnologies Ltd., which is now a subsidiary of Invitrogen Corporation Inc. Ethrog Biotechnologies Ltd., located in Israel, is dedicated to the development, production and commercialization of advanced tools for biological research. Cabilly serves on the board of several biotechnology companies.

The City of Hope Graduate School of Biological Sciences is a fully accredited education program that offers students both academic coursework and practical laboratory training to prepare them for careers in academic, medical or pharmaceutical and biotech industry organizations. The graduate school trains students to be outstanding research scientists in chemical, molecular and cellular biology through a mentored research project leading to a dissertation that directly applies the knowledge and laboratory skills gained in the program. Graduates of the school receive a Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences.

The Cabilly-Riggs Academic Center is slated to open in 2009.

About City of Hope

City of Hope is a leading research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest honor bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope's research and treatment protocols advance care throughout the nation. City of Hope is located in Duarte, Calif., just northeast of Los Angeles, and is ranked as one of "America's Best Hospitals" in cancer and urology by U.S.News & World Report. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics.

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