With more than 40,000 gifts in hand, the Spark Discovery, Illuminate Life campaign has raised $443 million and is 80% of the way to meeting a goal of $550 million. More than half of the contributions - over $230 million - have come from individuals and families, with private foundations giving another $105 million.

These gifts have supported research in almost every facet of human disease, helped to recruit world-renowned scientific leaders to the University, and sponsored future scientists and physicians by funding graduate and medical education.

Campaign gifts have also increased the endowment of the Division by $80 million, including 18 newly endowed professorships since the beginning of the campaign.

Philanthropy has helped initiate a new campus for science and medicine, including the Comer Children's Hospital and the Center for Integrative Science. Work begins soon on the New Research Building and construction is underway for the new Comer Pediatric Emergency Department. Plans are also being made for a new Hospitals pavilion.

Notable major gifts to support science and medicine at Chicago include:

- $2.2 million from Dave Bunning through the Bunning Food Allergy Foundation to seed research and to endow a professorship in the Department of Pediatrics.

- Alumni and friends have contributed $1.5 million for student aid this year.

- The Alumni Annual Funds have raised $410,000 so far this fiscal year against a goal of $630,000. Pritzker School of Medicine alumni celebrating their reunion years this spring have already contributed $137,500 against their goal of $125,000! Highlights included gifts of $50,000 from Richard A. Katzman, MD '55, and $30,000 from Gregory Allen Thomas, MD '85. Reunion 2005 will take place June 2-5.

-The Forefront Fund, which supports both the Hospitals and the Division through unrestricted annual gifts, has raised $390,000 toward a goal of $500,000. The Forefront Fund was established in July 2004 and promotes the close connection between physicians and scientists at Chicago.

For more information about philanthropy and fund raising for the biological sciences, check out http://sparkdiscovery.uchicago.edu or contact Michele Schiele, Vice President and Associate Dean for Development, at 773-702-4767 or at mschiele@mcdmail.uchicago.edu.

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