Ann Lurie

The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) is grateful to have worked with honorary board member and philanthropist Ann Lurie, who passed away in June 2024. Her extraordinary commitment to advancing human welfare created an outsized legacy at the FNIH.

Ms. Lurie’s philanthropic mission to support medical research led her to join the FNIH Board of Directors. Following that, she was inspired to recognize the work of exceptional researchers by establishing and funding the Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences, which is accompanied by a $100,000 honorarium. Her goal was to ensure their contributions to basic science would not go unnoticed. To date, the award has honored 14 distinguished scientists who have made pioneering breakthroughs in their fields.

Ms. Lurie was committed to catalyzing a meaningful effect through the projects she funded. “My late husband Bob and I each felt that helping to empower medical research and medical care was the best way to make a positive impact on the wellbeing of our fellow men and women,” she said.

She also believed that philanthropy can be expressed in many ways, including by donating time. In addition to the prestigious Lurie Prize, Ms. Lurie also partnered with the FNIH on a number of projects, including an initiative to provide services for adolescents and young adults affected by HIV.

The legacy of her generosity and commitment will continue to inform and inspire the FNIH’s work for years to come. “Ann was a wonderful woman who will be greatly missed,” said Julie Gerberding, MD, MPH, President and CEO of the FNIH. “Her generous support has facilitated extraordinary scientific progress.”

Read on for a Q&A we did with Ms. Lurie in 2022 about her motivation and hopes for the Lurie Prize:

FNIH: How did you first get involved with the FNIH and how did the idea for the Lurie Prize evolve?

Ms. Lurie: Medical research was at the top of our list when my late husband and I made plans for our later-in-life philanthropy. We felt that helping to empower medical research was the best way to have a positive impact on humanity.

In 2006, I participated in a public-private partnership with the NIH to fund HIV/AIDS programs for affected teens at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. This made me aware of the potential for individuals to play a role in the work of the NIH. I joined the FNIH board by invitation in 2009. After a few years, I thought I might be able to bring more awareness to the FNIH and to the STEM fields by creating an award to honor the work of a “young” scientist (young being defined as under 52).

I know that scientists tend to be unknown and underappreciated. When I heard the phrase let’s make scientists rock stars, I began to think about how we could recognize scientists doing work that was not yet cycled into use, aka “basic research”, but who were finding “important” facts that would, in time, be used in some positive way, and that their experiences could be used to inspire young people to pursue science as a career.

FNIH: Why is biomedical research important to you?

Ms. Lurie: Biomedical research leads to solutions to medical and public health problems. It is usually considered “basic research.” Basic research catalyzes new knowledge. It provides new principles and conceptions that contribute to practical applications that ultimately benefit patients.

Another way to think about basic research is that it is a means of understanding the details, sometimes at the molecular level, of how living things function. That knowledge can help to solve problems related to human health. A famous example of basic science research in the field of genetics is the Human Genome Project, during which scientists worked to sequence the entire human genome. Unlocking this genetic code has led in myriad ways to a better understanding of human health and disease, helping individuals make better decisions about their healthcare.

If the public understands the sorts of discoveries of basic scientists that can ultimately be used as tools to produce life-saving results, there will be greater support for basic research. Basic research sounds rather bland, but it’s the start of many bigger solutions to problems of human health.

FNIH: What does philanthropy mean to you?

Ms. Lurie: To me, philanthropy means concern for the welfare of our fellow man. I believe philanthropy can be demonstrated by assistance to organizations by means that do not merely include funding. Assisting an organization elevate its profile so that others might contribute in their own way is an important aspect of philanthropy. Helping with the “grunt work” is also important. The Greater Chicago Food Depository, for instance, solicits assistance from volunteers in packing food to be distributed to their regional food banks. There are all sorts of ways to be “philanthropic.”

FNIH: What achievements of the Lurie Prize stand out to you and why?

Ms. Lurie: Two of the researchers awarded the Lurie Prize stand out in my mind for the breadth of potential use of the findings of their scientific investigation. One is Karl Deisseroth and his discovery of “optigenetics” to study the workings of the human brain at the molecular/cellular level. The other is Jennifer Doudna for her part in the discovery of CRISPR technology for gene editing, giving researchers the tool to disable, activate, or change genes. CRISPR contributed to the development of the mRNA vaccines for Covid 19.

By the way, my husband and I participated in the Moderna Vaccine Trials in 2020. After the trial concluded and the vaccine was in use, we found that I was administered the “real” vaccine and my husband received the placebo. We still provide updates to the study regarding the state of our health and our experience(s) when we were infected with COVID this year.