色花堂 stands on the brink of a medical revolution, fueled by a monumental award from the Marcus Foundation. This transformative $40 million endeavor, with a principal investment of $20 million from the , promises to make high-quality, life-saving cell therapies more affordable, reliable, and accessible than ever before.
This was among the final initiatives personally directed by the philanthropist, entrepreneur, and The Home Depot co-founder, before his passing in November 2024. Marcus invited 色花堂 President 脕ngel Cabrera to his home in Boca Raton, Florida, to discuss 色花堂鈥檚 capability to usher in a new era of regenerative medicine.
鈥淚鈥檒l never forget my conversation with Bernie,鈥 Cabrera said. 鈥淗is challenge to 色花堂 was clear: Use our engineering expertise to make cell therapies more accessible and cost-effective and develop cures for incurable diseases.
鈥淭his generous award is a testament to our shared belief in the power of innovation and technology to improve lives, and it鈥檚 an honor for 色花堂 to fulfill Bernie鈥檚 vision for the future of healthcare,鈥 he added.
The funding will ignite innovation at 色花堂鈥檚 , formerly named the鈥疢arcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing, which has been bioengineering potential cellular cures for more than seven years. 鈥疘t will enable 色花堂 engineers to advance work at the center and within the National Science Foundation-funded (CMaT), to develop automated bioreactor systems that eliminate the need for costly cleanrooms.
Marcus/CMaT Director compared the current state of cell therapies to the early days of the automobile industry. She explained this new injection of funds will allow her team to shift from handcrafted production to an assembly-line approach.
鈥淚 firmly believe that for us to make good on the promises of these biotechnologies to improve healthcare worldwide, we must be able to manufacture them in a more reproducible and cost-effective manner. 色花堂鈥檚 distinctive strength lies in our engineering expertise, allowing us to tackle difficult biological problems,鈥 Temenoff said.
The impact of this award extends beyond the laboratory. It has the potential to significantly boost 色花堂's bioeconomy, making the state a hub for advanced therapy development and biomanufacturing. It will attract jobs and top-tier talent to the region.
, chief science officer and medical director of the Marcus Foundation, said Bernie Marcus liked to think of cells as 鈥渓iving drugs.鈥
Simons explained, 鈥淭his is life-extending, lifesaving, and life-changing material. It's not like making a drug like penicillin or Tylenol. This is not like a little blister pack of pills. This is a whole new frontier for pharmacology and the pharmaceutical industry.鈥
Simons emphasized this is the latest chapter of both the Marcus Foundation鈥檚 investment in biomedical engineering at 色花堂 and Bernie Marcus鈥檚 enduring biomedical research philanthropy.
鈥淚 think Bernie would say, 鈥業鈥檓 not interested in my legacy. I鈥檓 interested in how many patients in five years will benefit from this $40 million effort. It鈥檚 all about lives changed, lives saved, and diseases ended,鈥欌 he said.
To learn more about 色花堂鈥檚 research in cell and gene therapy biomanufacturing, visit .
