David Koch Gives $20 Million for Hopkins Cancer Research

November 11, 2006

Nov. 11. 2006 - New Building to be Dedicated Monday, December 4 at 4:30 p.m. David H. Koch, philanthropist and executive vice president of the nation’s largest privately owned company, Koch Industries, Inc., has committed $20 million to support a new cancer research building on Johns Hopkins University’s East Baltimore medical campus.

The building will be named the David H. Koch Cancer Research Building in his honor at a dedication ceremony on December 4, 2006. “Johns Hopkins was one of the nation’s first comprehensive cancer centers, and it remains one of the foremost centers of research, clinical trials, and treatment of these diseases,” said Johns Hopkins University president William R. Brody. “David’s extraordinary generosity will not only help us advance these activities, but it will also make possible new kinds of collaborative research that offers tremendous promise in the fight against cancer.”

“I am pleased to be able to support the work being done by Hopkins’ cancer researchers,” said Koch, a trustee of the Johns Hopkins University. “Their commitment to curing cancer is inspiring, and I can’t imagine a more worthy investment. The quality of the cancer research at Hopkins is equal to the best in the world and I am sure that break through discoveries on the treatment of cancer will be made in the future in this building.”   

The 267,000 square-foot building opened in March and expands a complex for cancer investigators on the southwest corner of the Johns Hopkins medical campus. With five floors of laboratories and 10 stories of office space, the building is home to researchers in fields including prostate, brain, pancreas, skin, lung, and head and neck cancers.

A 250-seat, high-tech auditorium connects this newest research tower with its twin, the Bunting-Blaustein Cancer Research Building. “Mr. Koch’s generous gift brings the Johns Hopkins community of cancer scientists together and helps us link a variety of departments to build interdisciplinary programs that will strengthen our research activities,” says Martin D. Abeloff, M.D., Marion I. Knott Professor and Director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. David H. Koch is the executive vice president of Koch Industries Inc., which he joined in 1970. Headquartered in Wichita, Kan., the family-owned firm comprises a diverse group of companies in oil and gas trading and refining, as well as other ventures. Koch earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He is a long time supporter of Johns Hopkins and cancer research, with gifts to Hopkins and other institutions totaling more than $150 million. Koch lives in New York with his wife and three children.  “With this gift, the scientists housed in this building will speed the pace of revolutionary research,” said Edward D. Miller, M.D., Dean and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Johns Hopkins' commitment to basic and clinical cancer research will lead us to greater discoveries and advances in patient care.”

This gift brings total commitments to the Johns Hopkins Knowledge for the World campaign to more than $2.3 billion. Priorities of the campaign, which benefits both the Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System, include strengthening endowment for student aid and faculty support; advancing research, academic and clinical initiatives; and building and upgrading facilities on all campuses. The campaign began in July 2000.