New York and Purchase, N.Y. (November 18, 2013) -- MasterCard today announced a $500,000 grant to Weill Cornell Medical College to support research efforts designed to end women's cancers.
The researcher‐in‐residence position created by this grant will work closely with other investigators under the close direction of Dr. Lewis C. Cantley, director of the Weill Cornell Cancer Center.
"We are humbled by MasterCard's extraordinary generosity in support of our efforts to make treatment of female cancers more precise and effective," Dr. Cantley said. "This grant ensures that Weill Cornell can continue the critical scientific investigation that leads to breakthrough therapies."
"We support communities, programs and causes that impact our employees, cardholders and customers," said Ajay Banga, president and CEO, MasterCard. "Through our relationship with Weill Cornell, we hope to spark the research that will deliver treatments that will turn cancer patients into cancer survivors, providing them bright futures."
Cantley also leads Stand Up to Cancer's Dream Team targeting PI 3‐kinases (PI3K) -- enzymes that are linked to a wide variety of cellular functions, including cell growth and proliferation -- in women's cancers. This team is focused on developing protocols, procedures and cutting‐edge clinical trials that will deliver personalized care to address a variety of women's cancers, including breast, ovarian and uterine cancer.
In 2014, Weill Cornell will open the MasterCard Principal Investigator Office Suite, in recognition of the company's commitment to cancer research. Housed in the state-of-the-art Belfer Research Building, this office will help maximize collaboration between teams focused on critical cancer research.
In addition to support of Weill Cornell Medical College, MasterCard has helped raise more than $17 million over the past four years for Stand Up to Cancer's efforts to fund research that can help make everyone diagnosed with cancer a survivor.
This grant also extends MasterCard's commitment to the greater New York area, as seen in programs like Priceless New York, CitiBike and the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, which helped small businesses recover and rebuild from Hurricane Sandy.
About MasterCard
MasterCard (NYSE: MA), http://www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard's products and solutions make everyday commerce activities -- such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances -- easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Pioneers Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.
About Weill Cornell Medical College
Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University's medical school located in New York City, is committed to excellence in research, teaching, patient care and the advancement of the art and science of medicine, locally, nationally and globally. Physicians and scientists of Weill Cornell Medical College are engaged in cutting-edge research from bench to bedside, aimed at unlocking mysteries of the human body in health and sickness and toward developing new treatments and prevention strategies. In its commitment to global health and education, Weill Cornell has a strong presence in places such as Qatar, Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Through the historic Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, the Medical College is the first in the U.S. to offer its M.D. degree overseas. Weill Cornell is the birthplace of many medical advances — including the development of the Pap test for cervical cancer, the synthesis of penicillin, the first successful embryo-biopsy pregnancy and birth in the U.S., the first clinical trial of gene therapy for Parkinson's disease, and most recently, the world's first successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat a minimally conscious brain-injured patient. Weill Cornell Medical College is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where its faculty provides comprehensive patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The Medical College is also affiliated with the Methodist Hospital in Houston. For more information, visit weill.cornell.edu.
Office of External Affairs
Weill Cornell Medical College
tel: 646.317.7401
email: pr@med.cornell.edu
Follow WCMC on Twitter and Facebook
Contacts:
Jen Gundersen
Weill Cornell Medical College
(646) 317-7402
jeg2034@med.cornell.edu
Seth Eisen
MasterCard
(914) 249-3153
Seth_Eisen@mastercard.com