Richmond-based Virginia Commonwealth University received a $104 million donation — the largest in the organization's history — to expand treatment options for liver and liver-related metabolic diseases through the new Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health.
R. Todd Stravitz, MD, and his family's organization, the Barbara Brunckhorst Foundation, made the donation, VCU said in a Feb. 15 news release. Dr. Stravitz is a physician and philanthropist in the Department of Internal Medicine at VCU School of Medicine. He dedicated his entire career to liver treatment and research, the release said.
The gift is also the largest publicly shared gift to support liver research in the U.S., over four times more than the previous gift, according to the release.
"Words cannot capture my feelings of gratitude for the transformative gift of Dr. Todd Stravitz and the Barbara Brunckhorst Foundation," said Michael Rao, PhD, president of VCU and VCU Health. "Todd has made history with his incredible leadership and generosity to VCU, supporting an institute that will forever change VCU and catalyze its commitment to our work with the human liver and metabolism. This gift firmly puts the needs of patients first."