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Source: PRESS RELEASE, 5/8/13
David H. Murdock, founder of the North Carolina Research Campus (NCRC) in Kannapolis, announced today a gift of $50 million to support the ongoing operational expenses of his namesake research institute.
Murdock, the multi-billionaire chairman of Dole Food Company and president of Castle & Cooke, established the non-profit David H. Murdock Research Institute (DHMRI) as the core laboratory for the NCRC. The institute offers analytical sciences, genomics, NMR, imaging and invitro and in vivo sciences to campus partners and other corporate, academic or government collaborators seeking innovative and multi-disciplinary solutions to research challenges in human health, agriculture and nutrition.
“I am committed to doing all I can to advance scientific research that will vastly improve the quality of life for mankind,” said Murdock. “My gift of $50 million to support the day-to-day operations of the David H. Murdock Research Institute over the next eight years will maintain the DHMRI as a critical engine for science, and that science will improve health in North Carolina and globally.”
Gift Murdock’s latest investment in research facilitySince 2007, Murdock has invested more than $131 million in the DHMRI. He deeded ownership of two floors of the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building to the institute and provided the facility with state-of-the-art equipment in genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, advanced microscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. Additionally, Murdock has invested over $600 million in the development of the NCRC.
“Through the philanthropy of David H. Murdock, the DHMRI will have the resources to improve human nutrition and address human conditions through modern science. That science requires the integration of many disciplines including plant biology, molecular biology, population genetics, clinical trials and computational sciences,” said Steven Lommel, Ph.D., who serves on the DHMRI board of directors and as the Institute’s interim president.
Murdock began his involvement in the NCRC and DHRMI after the closing of the Pillowtex textile mills in Kannapolis led to the largest mass lay-off in North Carolina history. Murdock combined a personal commitment to health and wellness with his desire to advance science and create jobs through the NCRC and DHMRI. At least 600 jobs are now associated with the NCRC through its 16 corporate and academic partners.
A recent study by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center shows North Carolina leading the nation in biotechnology job growth. The growth rate of the North Carolina biotechnology industry was 23.5 percent between 2001 and 2011, compared to 6.5 percent nationwide. Murdock’s gift will help strengthen North Carolina's position as a leader in biotechnology and in life-sciences jobs.
Murdock has also funded the Measurement to Understand the Reclassification of Disease of Cabarrus/Kannapolis (MURDOCK) Study, a longitudinal study working to reclassify health and disease using advanced scientific technologies housed in the DHMRI. The study, funded by a $35 million gift to Duke University from Murdock, is designed to personalize the treatment of disease and has now enrolled more than 9,000 residents of Cabarrus County and Kannapolis.
“Our landmark MURDOCK Study is moving quickly to reclassify human health and disease using molecular technologies and clinical epidemiology,” added Victor Dzau, M.D., chancellor of health affairs at Duke University and president and CEO of the Duke Health System.
“This gift will enhance the study greatly by providing assurance of a state-of-the-art facility to analyze the biological samples donated so willingly by the local residents who volunteered to participate in this study. Through the efforts of DHMRI and the potential of the MURDOCK Study, we have the ability to make groundbreaking discoveries that can change the future of medical treatment.”
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