AGA Research Foundation raises $10.5 million to support GI research

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) is pleased to announce that the AGA Research Foundation has raised more than $10.5 million to support digestive disease and hepatology research through the Looking Forward: Giving Back endowment campaign.

"Research is the key to improving health today and giving physicians the tools we need to care for the patients of tomorrow," said Martin Brotman, MD, AGAF, chair of the AGA Research Foundation. "Thanks to our generous donors, we can ensure that research into gastrointestinal and liver diseases will be stimulated and supported by AGA for years to come."

AGA launched the Looking Forward: Giving Back endowment campaign in October of 2011, with the original goal of securing $7.5 million. The foundation's long-term objective is to ensure $2 million is generated annually by our endowment, which will provide annual research funding opportunities to talented investigators. The campaign called on our industry partners, AGA members, national and family foundations, grateful patients, and the entire GI community to help fill the funding gap created by a decrease in federal funding for medical research.

"With the wide-spread research funding cuts and the ever-growing needs of the expanding patient population, we must step up to fill this gap or risk the stagnation of progress," added Dr. Brotman, who also chaired the Looking Forward: Giving Back campaign.

The success of the Looking Forward: Giving Back campaign would not be possible without the commitment of our volunteers. AGA would like to thank the campaign executive committee for their leadership and participation in the endowment campaign:

Vice Chairs: J. Sumner Bell III, MD, AGAF, and Anil K. Rustgi, MD, AGAF

Divisions Chairs: C. Richard Boland, MD, AGAF, Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, Kiron M. Das, MD, PhD, AGAF, Ralph A. Giannella, MD, AGAF, Gail A. Hecht, MD, MS, AGAF, Lawrence S. Kim, MD, AGAF, Loren Laine, MD, AGAF,

Nicholas F. LaRusso, MD, AGAF, David A. Peura, MD, AGAF

Distinguished Chairs: John I. Allen, MD, AGAF, James W. Freston, MD, PhD, AGAF, Barry J. Marshall, MD, AGAF, Daniel K. Podolsky, MD, AGAF, Marvin H. Sleisenger, MD, AGAF, Tadataka Yamada, MD, AGAF

In addition, AGA would like to recognize the Looking Forward: Giving Back campaign's most generous donors. Their gifts will make an immediate difference in the careers of young scientists and in the lives of countless patients who will benefit from their work.

John I. Allen, MD, MBA, AGAF & Carolyn Allen

Anonymous

Sumner and Susan Bell

Athena Blackburn

Boston Scientific

Braintree Laboratories, Inc.

Farron and Martin Brotman, MD

Covidien-Medtronic

Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Gastric Cancer Foundation

Gilead Sciences

Colin and Jackie Howden

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals

Alan and Louise MacKenzie

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (now Valeant)

Bernard Lee Schwartz Foundation

Shire Pharmaceuticals

Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.