Join us!
Help support our effort to commemorate the legacy of biotechnology pioneer and MIT alumnus Robert A. (Bob) Swanson by naming the Koch Institute's core facilities the Swanson Biotechnology Center (SBC). The core facilities are a collection of innovative enabling technologies crucial to the Koch Institute's mission to be the best cancer research facility in the world.
Naming the SBC honors the role Bob played in translating the genetic engineering revolution into an industry that changed the course of medicine, including cancer research and treatment. The SBC will comprise 15 facilities that provide cutting-edge equipment and technical services to Koch Institute researchers and affiliated clinicians.
"Upholding a Dream," an article about our effort to name the Swanson Biotechnology Center, appeared in the Fall 2008 issue of the MIT newsletter Spectrum.
We hope you will consider joining us in honoring Bob's legacy and furthering his achievements in cancer medicine.
—Judy Swanson and Fred Middleton '71
A visionary and gifted leader, Robert A. Swanson '69 was instrumental in launching the biotechnology industry. In co-founding Genentech with scientist Herb Boyer in 1976, he realized the commercial promise of recombinant DNA technology, translating a creative new science into useful therapies for cancer and other diseases. With powerful drugs such as Human Insulin and the anti-tumor agents Herceptin and Avastin, Genentech revolutionized the practice of medicine and remains one of the leading biotech companies in the world.
Bob was also a dedicated alumni leader. The holder of two MIT degrees, the SB in chemistry and the SM in management, he was a member of the Visiting Committees for the Department of Biology and the MIT Sloan School of Management. He also chaired the Class of 1969 25th reunion gift committee. His generous gifts to MIT included a career development professorship in the life sciences and a scholarship fund.
The path-breaking brand of leadership behind Swanson's achievements is also emblematic of the Koch Institute's mission to transform the field of cancer research. The Swanson Biotechnology Center, which will span three floors of the KI, will enable the Institute's scientists and engineers to conduct powerful experiments leading to new ways of diagnosing, monitoring, and treating cancer. The Center's tools will also be available to the broader MIT community, serving as a hub of cancer research and technology.
To request additional information, including a copy of the proposal to name the Swanson Biotechnology Center, contact:
Sharon J. Stanczak
Director of Integrative Science Initiatives
617-253-3272
Architectural rendering of the SBC entrance (click for larger view)
Robert A. Swanson
SBC cross-sectional overview (click for larger view)
