Globally recognized physician-scientist and pharmaceutical leader, P. Roy Vagelos, MD, along with his spouse, Diana, has committed $15 million to enhance the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis—a groundbreaking initiative initiated by Roy Vagelos over five decades ago to educate future generations of physician-scientists.
This contribution will create an endowment to support the education, research, and training of budding physician-scientists participating in one of the nation’s largest and most esteemed MD/PhD programs.
In appreciation of the couple’s kindness, WashU Medicine’s program has been designated the Roy Vagelos Medical Scientist Training Program.
Vagelos, the former CEO and chairman of Merck & Co., established WashU Medicine’s MD/PhD program in 1969 while he was leading the school’s Department of Biological Chemistry (now known as the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics). He understood the vital role physician-scientists play in progressing medicine: They connect patient care and research to spot clinic issues and seek laboratory solutions.
Investigations conducted at Merck & Co. have laid the groundwork for numerous life-saving therapies, including targeted cancer treatments, statins to diminish the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and antiviral medications for HIV, along with significant developments that resulted in vaccines against infectious illnesses.
“Physician-scientists have been pivotal in the swift advancements in biomedical research over many years, and the WashU MSTP has been a global leader in cultivating and supporting these professional paths,” stated David H. Perlmutter, MD, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs, the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor and the George and Carol Bauer Dean of WashU Medicine. “Roy Vagelos initiated the program with Bill Danforth, and this latest donation will assist in maintaining the program and WashU Medicine’s legacy of scientific innovation and excellence in education. Roy and Diana are outstanding advocates for physician-scientists.”
Clinicians in the laboratory: A WashU tradition
For over half a century, WashU Medicine’s MSTP has received support through training grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), along with substantial institutional contributions. The program integrates aspects of MD and PhD programs into a demanding curriculum for MD/PhD scholars and is unique because it seamlessly merges medical and research training from the outset, allowing ample time for medical students to engage in rigorous PhD research endeavors alongside faculty mentors who are experts in their domains.
“Over the years, WashU Medicine has been the academic home for some of the most influential physician-scientists globally, spanning the academic, biotech, and pharmaceutical arenas,” said Perlmutter.
More than 800 physician-scientists have graduated from WashU Medicine’s MSTP, with over 80% now employed in academic medicine, the NIH, or within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries.
As a young physician, Vagelos dedicated a decade to the NIH, where he researched biochemistry and began his journey as a physician-scientist. He was then invited to WashU Medicine in 1966 to succeed Carl Cori, who previously headed the department and, along with his wife Gerty Cori, received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1947 for their research on sugar metabolism.
“Carl and Gerty Cori appreciated having clinicians within their laboratories,” Vagelos reminisced. “Traditionally, they would host two to four individuals who had just completed their medical residency. They played a role in establishing a trend where young clinicians would come to WashU for a year or two of training in fundamental sciences before returning to the clinical realm as division heads in areas such as cardiology, pulmonology, or oncology. Having training in the Cori Lab enhanced their capabilities.”
Funding future biomedical leaders
After nearly a decade at WashU Medicine, Vagelos departed the university in 1975 to join Merck & Co., where he oversaw the discovery of statin medications Mevacor and Zocor, which have been prescribed to millions to manage cholesterol and lower the risk of cardiovascular ailments. He climbed the ranks to become CEO and chairman, playing a key role in ensuring the availability of ivermectin, a drug developed by Merck to combat river blindness, a parasitic condition, at no charge to governments and patients as part of a successful public health initiative to reduce its prevalence.
Upon retiring from Merck after two decades with the company, Vagelos was chair of the board at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for 28 years. He is a member of prestigious organizations including the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.
Roy and Diana Vagelos are well-respected philanthropists who have contributed to scholarships, fellowships, professorships, facilities, and science and medical education at leading universities, including their own alma maters. Roy Vagelos earned his degree from the University of Pennsylvania and what is now the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Diana Vagelos, a former overseer at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, graduated from Barnard College, where she serves as vice chair of the board of trustees.
The Vageloses have been generous benefactors of WashU Medicine. In 2021, the couple donated $15 million to support WashU’s Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences (DBBS), another trailblazing training initiative that Roy Vagelos helped create in 1973. This program brought together fundamental science departments from WashU Medicine with the Department of Biology in Arts & Sciences to provide unmatched graduate training for PhD and MSTP students, as well as research possibilities for undergraduates and medical students. These kinds of collaborations enhanced the quality of the university’s life sciences curriculum and further propelled scientific discovery and innovation. The division was renamed the Roy and Diana Vagelos Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences in their honor. Like the MSTP, the DBBS program ranks among the top in the country.
Given the changing regulations and funding uncertainties within the federal system, including the NIH, private investments in science and medicine have become vital, Vagelos noted.
“Endowments can help mitigate disruption of essential work aimed at improving human health and saving lives,” he stated. “WashU Medicine’s established history of excellence in research, education, and clinical care makes it a wise investment.”
The Vageloses’ donation will foster new initiatives that enhance the research opportunities and education for physician-scientists at WashU Medicine. Such training may extend over eight years or more, remarked Wayne M. Yokoyama, MD, the director of the program.
“`html
and associate dean of WashU Medicine’s Division of Physician-Scientists.
“We receive outstanding candidates who have excelled at an impressive level as undergraduates and demonstrate significant potential to become exemplary physician-scientists,” remarked Yokoyama, who is also the Sam J. Levin and Audrey Loew Levin Professor of Arthritis Research. “In evaluating applications, we seek the finest students regardless of their backgrounds or situations. The education they subsequently receive through the MSTP equips them to blend their experiences in both the clinic and laboratory aimed at uncovering novel methods to diagnose and treat patients.”
Students significantly influenced the Vageloses’ contribution. “One of Roy’s favorite pastimes when visiting WashU Medicine is engaging with the students,” stated Diana Vagelos. “They are incredibly ambitious and committed to enhancing human health.”
“The students are extraordinary; they represent our future,” said Roy Vagelos.
About Washington University School of Medicine
WashU Medicine is a premier institution in academic medicine, covering biomedical research, patient care, and educational initiatives with 2,900 faculty members. Its National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding is the second largest among U.S. medical institutes and has increased by 83% since 2016. Along with institutional funding, WashU Medicine allocates over $1 billion each year to basic and clinical research innovation and training. Its faculty practice consistently ranks among the top five in the nation, with over 1,900 faculty physicians operating at 130 sites. WashU Medicine physicians solely staff Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals — the academic medical centers of BJC HealthCare — and provide care at BJC’s community hospitals throughout our area. WashU Medicine has a distinguished history in MD/PhD training, recently allocated $100 million for scholarships and curriculum enhancement for its medical students, and hosts exceptional training programs across all medical subspecialties, as well as in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and audiology and communication sciences.
Originally published on the WashU Medicine website
The post Transformative $15 million gift enhances WashU Medicine’s physician-scientist training program appeared first on The Source.
“`