Lasker Foundation

THE LASKER FOUNDATION was started by Mary and Albert Lasker in 1942 to promote scientific understanding of biomechanical processes and of the means for treating diseases. To meet this goal, the Lasker Foundation focused on securing increased federal funding for biomédical research within the United States. The foundation chose to provide seed money for research as well as advocate for increased federal funding.

The Lasker Foundation Award Program began in 1945 to recognize new discoveries by scientists, physicians, and people in public service leading to advances in fundamental knowledge, treatment, and prevention of human illness and disease. The foundation has presented over 300 awards, and 75 of these recipients have also been awarded the Nobel Prize. The original awards were for basic medical research, clinical medical research, and public service, and in 1996, the Albert Lasker Award for special achievement in medical science was added.

The basic medical research award is awarded to scientists for performing fundamental research contributing to knowledge, concepts, or techniques leading to a reduction in disability, morbidity, and mortality from human disease. The clinical medical research award is awarded to investigators for clinical application of innovative therapies for treating patients.

The public service award, originally named for Albert Lasker and renamed for Mary Lasker in 2000, is awarded to those who have promoted funding for medical research through federal legislation or the creation of public health programs. The award honors Mary Lasker for her efforts over decades of advocating to alleviate human disease. She focused on cancer initially and became a driving force in the National Cancer Act of 1971 by approaching legislators and rallying public support. Her advocacy efforts led to increased funding from the National Institutes of Health and to the expansion of programs. She also joined the efforts of other advocacy groups and research organizations for women's health, mental health, cardiovascular health, and other causes.

The Lasker Awards Society was founded in 1997 to ensure that the awards program is able to continue. The planned giving program allows individuals and corporations to donate money to the [Page 298]program through bequests and other gifts. Fairness of the award is maintained by having award recipients chosen by a panel of international experts, so making a donation does not ensure the donor a say in who should receive the Lasker Awards.

In 2005 Ernest A. McCulloch and James E. Till received the basic medical research award for their stem cell research experiments, which allowed for the identification of the stem cell and set in motion all areas of current stem cell research on both adult and embryonic stem cells.

The Lasker Foundation maintains a Web site with research papers, including reports on stem cell research, history, future implications, profiled scientists, and leading opinions and quotes from leading scientists and experts, as well as answers to frequently asked questions.

The research center at the Audubon Center at Columbia University is located in the Audubon Biomédical Science and Technology Park, which opened in 1995 and is dedicated to biomédical research. The Mary Woodard Lasker Biomédical Research Building houses start—up biotechnology and biomedically related companies to ensure that scientific innovation is turned into clinical applications to treat disease.

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