The Wistar Institute Cancer Center in Philadelphia is getting a new name after receiving a $10 million gift from Ronald Caplan, founder and president of PMC Property Group, and his wife Ellen, the center said March 8.
The cancer center will be known as the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center of the Wistar Institute. The couple's gift is the largest ever pledged to the center. It became the nation’s first National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center for basic research in 1972 and is among only seven such centers in the nation to continuously hold the distinction.
"Despite recent progress, cancer is still a feared disease carrying enormous morbidity and mortality for patients and their families," stated Dario Altieri, MD, president and CEO of the Wistar Institute and director of the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center. "Ellen and Ron’s vision is to change that. Their generous gift will dramatically accelerate the pace of innovation and discovery at our renowned cancer research center."