Fall 2007

BURNHAM REPORT

VOLUME 4 | NUMBER 3

W W W. B U R N H A M . O R G

Updates on Alzheimer’s, Cancer, and Stem Cell Research

Endowing a Leadership Legacy: The Donald Bren Presidential Chair

From Research, The Power to Cure

In This Issue

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

1

BURNHAM REPORT Volume 4, Number 3

RESEARCH MATTERS

Alzheimer’s Killer or Cancer Killer?

2

Faulty Wiring in Melanoma Cells

3

Training Pioneers in Stem Cell Research

4

News

5

JOHN C. REED, M.D., PH.D.

President and CEO KARIN EASTHAM

Executive Vice President and COO BLAIR BLUM

Senior Vice President, External Relations PHILANTHROPY MATTERS

EDGAR GILLENWATERS

A Message from Blair Blum

7

The Donald Bren Presidential Chair

8

Third and Fourth Quarter Donations

9

Vice President, External Relations ELIZABETH GIANINI

Vice President, External Relations CHRIS LEE

Director, External Relations BURNHAM IN THE COMMUNITY

NANCY J. BEDDINGFIELD

Recent Events

10

Update from Florida

12

Converting Real Estate Gifts into Retirement Income

13

Calendar of Events

13

Team Burnham Announces Additional Race Location

14

ON THE COVER Left to right: Dr. John Reed, Donald Bren, and Malin Burnham.

Donald Bren, philanthropist and chairman of The Irvine Company, recently honored President and CEO Dr. John Reed and the Burnham Institute for Medical Research with a gift of $2.5 million endowing “The Donald Bren Presidential Chair”. Malin Burnham, benefactor for more than 25 years and current Board of Trustees Chairman, commented: “It is the ultimate compliment to attract the focus and commitment of Donald Bren to this organization.”

Editor MARTIN MANN

Contributing Photographer

Please address inquiries to: externalrelations@burnham.org 10901 NORTH TORREY PINES ROAD LA JOLLA, CA 92037

BURNHAM INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH AT LAKE NONA 8441 COMMODITY CIRCLE, 4TH ORLANDO, FL 32819

www.burnham.org (858) 646-3100

President’s Message OUR COVER CELEBRATES DONALD BREN for his generosity in funding the Donald Bren Presidential Chair, ensuring support of the Burnham in perpetuity. “Endowing a Leadership Legacy” on page eight shares the story of Mr. Bren’s extraordinary gift. Joining Mr. Bren on the cover is the Institute’s incoming Chairman, Malin Burnham. We are grateful and proud to be linked with these two prominent southern California families.

Is there a connection between Alzheimer’s disease and skin cancer? Dr. Huaxi Xu recently discovered a single enzyme that is key to both diseases. His findings may cause re-thinking about the development of Alzheimer’s treatments based on blocking this enzyme. You can learn about Dr. Xu’s discovery on page two.

Dr. Ze’ev Ronai has discovered a short circuit in the internal communications network of melanoma cells that contributes to the origins of this most deadly form of skin cancer. His laboratory is now working on finding ways to jam the aberrant signalling and, potentially, prevent melanoma. The story of Dr. Ronai’s discovery is on page three. Dr. Ronai directs the Institute’s Program on Signal Transduction, an expanding research focus at the Burnham’s NCI-designated Cancer Center.

Dr. Mauricio Pellecchia, is a pioneer in developing advanced applications of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology for discovering new medicines. With NMR, scientists can “see” precisely how chemicals bind disease-causing proteins and then tailor the structures of these chemicals to fit perfectly into binding sites on proteins. The National Institutes of Health recently awarded Dr. Pellecchia one of just two NMR instrumentation grants funded nationwide. Information about this award is included on page five. Medical researchers worldwide will be able to access Dr. Pellecchia’s innovative use of NMR through collaboration with the San Diego Center for Chemical Genomics at Burnham, one of ten national centers for drug discovery.

I am grateful for your interest in our work. If you have thoughts to share about this issue of the Burnham Report, please contact me at president@burnham.org.

Sincerely, JOHN C. REED, M.D., PH.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer Professor and Donald Bren Presidential Chair

www.burnham.org

1

Research Matters

Alzheimer’s killer or cancer killer?

Alzheimer’s enzyme acts as a tumor suppressor

For decades, these two characteristics were thought to be unrelated, separate causes of the disease. Recently, medical researchers have linked the two to an enzyme called gamma-secretase.

Residing inside cells, gammasecretase is essential to Alzheimer’s progression and is the target of pharmaceutical companies developing new therapies for the disease.

The premise is simple: block the enzyme’s activity in the brain, and prevent Alzheimer’s.

Gamma-secretase has its good side. Dr. Huaxi Xu and coworkers at Burnham discovered that the enzyme also acts as a tumor suppressor. They found that gamma-secretase alters the activity of the cancer promoter epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Elevated EGFR 2

www.burnham.org

levels in tumors are linked with poor clinical prognosis and tumor resistance to chemotherapy. EGFR is the subject of intensive investigation by pharmaceutical companies as a potential treatment target for cancer.

Xu worked with mice genetically engineered to lack gamma-secretase.

While these mice lack plaque formation in the brain, they also tend to develop skin cancer. Since EGFR is known to drive the growth of various tumors, including skin cancers, the Xu laboratory set out to determine whether there might be a connection between gamma-secretase and EGFR. They found an inverse relationship between the level of EGFR and gamma-secretase, and they discovered precisely how this occurs.

The Alzheimer’s plaque-forming protein that is dependent on gamma secretase activity binds to the EGFR gene and blocks the gene’s ability to produce the cancer-causing EGFR protein.

Xu’s novel results reveal a potential limitation of targeting gamma-secretase for treatment of Alzheimer’s because we need this enzyme to help suppress EGFR and thus keep cell growth under control.

“Alzheimer’s disease and cancer are two of the most important medical research areas today. Our studies should have a significant impact on both fields of research.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: MARTIN MANN

A pathologist diagnoses Alzheimer’s disease by identifying plaque formations hardening on brain tissue or nerve cell proteins tangled tightly like uncoiled fishing tackle.

Huaxi Xu, Ph.D., Associate Professor The Alzheimer’s Association recently selected Dr. Xu for its Zenith Fellows Award. Zenith Fellows are recognized for their contributions to understanding Alzheimer’s as well as their potential for making significant discoveries in the future.

Faulty Wiring in Melanoma Cells Could Signal New Class of Cancer Treatment At Burnham’s Cancer Center, scientists drill deep inside cells searching for cues that signal origins of the disease.

A collaborative study led by Dr. Ze’ev Ronai recently discovered a flawed wiring system in melanoma cells that significantly advances understanding of changes that take place during melanoma development and could possibly lead to a new class of treatments for this deadliest form of skin cancer.

Discoveries made over the past few years have identified that most melanoma tumors harbor a mutation in either of two cancer-causing genes, the oncogenes B-Raf or N-Ras. This mutation results in hyper-activation of signaling pathways, including a cellular superhighway known as ERK. Dr. Ronai and his colleagues have now discovered that another circuit, called JNK, which typically operates independently of the ERK circuit, is wired to the ERK circuit in melanoma. This re-wiring was not seen in non-malignant melanomas, which demonstrates the complex changes that must occur in tumors to allow their advantage over normal tissue. The re-wiring of ERK to JNK resulted in the superactivation of another oncogene, called c-Jun, which has an impact on the cell cycle regulatory protein cyclin D1, ultimately contributing to proliferation in malignant melanoma.

This discovery was recently published in the journal Cancer Cell.

Dr. Ronai drew the cover illustration comparing the complexity of signaling pathways in melanoma to the intricate

Pablo Lopez-Bergami, Ph.D. and Ze’ev Ronai, Ph.D., Director, Signal Transduction Program. This collaboration included contributions from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, University of Birmingham, Alabama, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and The Wistar Institute.

This discovery provides a blueprint for disrupting the JNK and ERK circuits that lead to hyperactivity associated with high proliferation and survival implicated in most melanomas, suggesting new targets for possible therapy and prevention of this cancer.

“We have discovered the underlying mechanisms for the changes in super-charged circuits seen in melanomas and found them to be far more complex than imagined,” said Ronai. “With this information, we can start to design experimental compounds to selectively interrupt their impact.”

Ronai, who studies different signaling pathways that are often deregulated in cancer, is working on elucidating their modified blueprints, which ultimately will allow treatment designed to restore the original circuitry as it exists in normal tissue.

workings of a clock.

www.burnham.org

3

Research Matters

TRAINING PIONEERS IN A NEW FRONTIER:

Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Scientists at Burnham are helping to establish standards and convey the “know how” to the research community working in the very young field of human embryonic stem cells.

Funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) provides major support for this training effort.

On July 10–19, Burnham was home to 12 students who traveled worldwide to experience13-hour days of intensive lectures, group discussions, and hands-on laboratory training in the Institute’s NIH-sponsored Human Embryonic Stem Cell Comprehensive Training Course. Dr. Jeanne Loring, CoDirector of Burnham’s Stem Cell Research Center, organized a broad syllabus taught by 40 volunteer faculty members, including Lasker Award recipient Dr. Mario Capecchi; Dr. James Battey, Director of NIH’s Stem Cell Task

Force; and Antonio Regalado of The Wall Street Journal.

Students were provided with a copy of the first definitive textbook, “Human Stem Cell Manual: A Laboratory Guide”.

Published earlier this spring, this volume was edited by Drs. Jeanne Loring, Robin Wesselschmidt and Philip Schwartz, who, together, introduced the first stem cell research training course at Burnham in 2004, and have collaborated on training since that time.

Burnham was recently honored with a visit from California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who toured the Institute’s Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging, and Stem Cell Research Center.

Governor Schwarzenegger inspects living heart cells developed from human embryonic stem cells cultured by students training at Burnham. Earlier this year, Governor Schwarzenegger From left to right: Board of Trustees Chairman Malin Burnham; Dr. Jeanne

approved an emergency loan which

Loring, Adjunct Associate Professor and Co-Director, Stem Cell Research

enabled the funding of training grants

Center; Governor Schwarzenegger; and Dr. Evan Snyder, Professor and

awarded to the Burnham and other

Director of the Institute’s stem cell research effort.

organizations by the state of California.

4

www.burnham.org

news AWA R D S A N D H O N O R S Reed honored with Waddel Award President and CEO John Reed was recently honored with the Donald Ware Waddell Award presented annually by the Arizona Cancer Center to a basic or clinical investigator who has made outstanding contributions to cancer research. Dr. Reed was recognized for his “pioneering work in defining the fundamental mechanisms that regulate cell lifespan and defects in programmed cell death, or apoptosis”. Defects in cell death, or apoptosis, are linked directly or indirectly with more than half of known major medical illnesses.

Dr. Reed spent a day at University of Arizona, meeting with colleagues and delivering two lectures.

This award was established in 1988 as a memorial to Phoenix rancher Donald Ware Waddell.

Mercola recognized with NIH MERIT Award Mark Mercola, Ph.D., recently earned the ultimate peer recognition from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the coveted MERIT award. MERIT funding is reserved for scientists whose research proposals, under peer review, rank within the top 5th percentile and who have made exceptional contributions to their field. Dr. Mercola’s work on determining the signals that induce development of heart cells in embryos and in embryonic stem cells met these

stringent criteria. His long-range goal is to assess the possibility of using stem cells to replace damaged heart muscle. Mercola’s MERIT award provides 10 years of funding for this project.

Pellecchia Awarded Special NIH High-End Instrumentation Award Professor Mauricio Pellecchia, Ph.D., received a High-End Instrumentation Award from the National Center for Research Resources at NIH, providing $1.44 million for a Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) instrument. NMR is critical to drug discovery. It plays an important role in the study of how disease-related proteins interact, and is particularly useful in identifying potential drug candidates. Dr. Pellecchia is developing advanced NMR-based technologies to understand signaling pathways inside cells, a new approach to drug discovery. He collaborates with the San Diego Center for Chemical Genomics at Burnham, funded by NIH’s Molecular Library Screening Center Network, the world’s largest public-sector drug discovery effort.

Snyder elected as President, American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair Evan Snyder, M.D., Ph.D., has been elected President of the American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair for 20082009. Founded in 1994, the ASNTR provides an interactive www.burnham.org

5

Research Matters

news forum for basic and clinical neuroscientists to discuss their work and address important issues in the areas of neural transplantation, nervous system regeneration, and plasticity. Their aim is to better understand the way the nervous system functions and establish new procedures for its repair in response to trauma or neurodegenerative disease.

Lars Bode participates in 57th Annual Lindau Meeting of Nobel Laureates Burnham staff scientist Lars Bode, Ph.D., recently joined 500 young scientists at Lake Constance in the Alps to participate in the Lindau Meeting of Nobel Laureates, led this year by 18 Nobel Laureates in Physiology and Medicine. The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings create a global community of promising young scientists who discuss scientific issues in a social and cultural context. They remain engaged in the Lindau Dialog through an alumni network.

Bode was selected from a talent pool of 20,000 scientists nominated worldwide to attend this meeting.

New Faculty at Burnham

of Public Health where he held the position of Associate Professor prior to his recruitment to Burnham.

SUMIT CHANDA, PH.D., ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, INFECTIOUS AND INFLAMMATORY

Dr. Chanda joined Burnham from the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation where he was a group leader and trained as a postdoctoral fellow. Dr. Chanda earned his Ph.D. in pharmacology at Stanford University.

DISEASE CENTER.

YONG CANG, PH.D., ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION, NCI CANCER CENTER.

Yong Cang studied biochemistry at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, prior to earning his Ph.D. in molecular genetics from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, NY in 2001. He trained as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Cang was recently recruited to Burnham to establish his first independent laboratory.

Burnham Hosts Summer Interns This summer Burnham hosted 21 high school and college students at its San Diego campus in cooperation with BIOCOM/Workforce Partnership “Life Science Summer Institute” and Harvey Mudd’s “Upward Bound” summer programs.

DIETER A. WOLF, M.D., PROFESSOR, SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION PROGRAM AND DIRECTOR, NCI

Dieter Wolf earned his M.D. degree from the LudwigMaximilian’s University in Munich, Germany in 1995.

He trained as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School and Stanford University School of Medicine.

Dr. Wolf established his laboratory at Harvard School CANCER CENTER PROTEOMICS FACILITY.

From left to right: Zac Jurkowski; Alex Gipsman; Jamie Ding; Nadia Zaman; Jeffrey Wu; Dana Mohammad-Zadeh

6

www.burnham.org

philanthropy matters

A Message from Blair Blum THANKS TO ALL OF YOU , the Burnham Institute for Medical Research had an unprecedented year in fundraising!

Not only did we surpass our $5 million goal for support, we have increased our number of donors by nearly three-fold!

This summer, we were extremely pleased to announce our first-ever endowed chair, a gift from Donald Bren, philanthropist and Chairman of The Irvine Company, based in Orange County, California. The Donald Bren Presidential Chair was established with a $2.5 million gift. Dr. John Reed, Burnham’s President and CEO, will be the first honored as holder of the Donald Bren Chair. We are grateful to Mr. Bren for his generosity and confidence in our organization.

This past year was the first year for Team Burnham for Medical Research, and I am pleased to tell you that the Team raised $125,000 for medical research. Now, in January 2008, we’re racing in two events, the Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon in Orlando, Florida and the P.F. Chang’s Rock n’ Roll Marathon in Phoenix, Arizona.

Thanks to the incredible efforts of the Team, and more importantly to all of those generous people who supported members of our Team last year, we are starting with a great base of donors who will help us raise our research dollars.

We are especially excited to be able to expand our network of supporters to Florida this year for Team Burnham.

Many donors tell me they wish they could give more. My response is that all gifts, at all levels, are valued. Every gift makes a difference by supporting our mission. These are the donations that are unrestricted and allow us to buy equipment, launch a new technology initiative, hire a post-doctoral fellow, or to pay the electricity bill to keep our labs operational. It all helps!

All financial support, no matter the size, is significant and we are grateful for each and every gift we receive. Please know that your support is making a difference. You are fueling new discoveries that will benefit future generations to come. Remember, “From Research, the Power to Cure!”

BLAIR BLUM

Senior Vice President, External Relations bblum@burnham.org NEW TRUSTEES ON BOARD AT BURNHAM Burnham is served by a volunteer Board of Trustees comprised of philanthropists, business and industry thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and renowned scientists.

Newly-elected trustees include: Brigitte M. Bren, President and CEO of International Strategic Planning Robert J. Lauer, CPA, Principal at Lauer, Georgatos & Associates, AP Robert A. Mandell, Chairman, Meritage Homes, Inc. of Central Florida Jan Tuttleman, Ph.D., Consultant, Progenetor, Inc. Andrew J. Viterbi, Ph.D., President of Viterbi Group, LLC, co-founder of Qualcomm, Inc. Gayle E. Wilson, California’s First Lady from 1991-1999

www.burnham.org

7

philanthropy matters E N D OW I N G A L E A D E R S H I P L EG ACY:

The Donald Bren Presidential Chair Donald Bren, philanthropist and Chairman of The Irvine Company, recently honored President and CEO Dr. John Reed and the Burnham Institute for Medical Research with a gift of $2.5 million. By endowing the “The Donald Bren Presidential Chair”, Mr. Bren endorses Dr. Reed’s dynamic leadership as President and CEO and the Institute’s tradition of leadership by a working scientist, establishing a legacy that ensures Burnham’s future leadership.

Mr. Bren has been associated with real estate development and investment in San Diego for more than 30 years, the Institute’s lifetime. During this time he has witnessed Burnham’s contributions to the region’s emergence as a hub of innovation in medical research.

Mr. Bren commented on his decision to fund the Institute’s first endowed chair: “I have become deeply impressed with the breathtaking research at Burnham to find promising breakthroughs for significant improvements in health and aging. The growth in size and scope of Burnham’s mission is due in large measure to the energy, focus and leadership of Dr. Reed, himself an impressive working scientist.”

8

www.burnham.org

“Dr. Reed’s strong leadership also has created a productive culture of collaboration and partnership between scientists at Burnham and other San Diego research institutions, including the Salk Institute, the Scripps Research Institute, and the University of California, San Diego that may be unprecedented. It is gratifying to be able to contribute in a way that will help ensure the Institute’s excellent work in perpetuity.”

DONALD BREN Chairman, The Irvine Company

Noted by Business Week as the country’s 8th most generous philanthropist, Mr. Bren focuses his giving on education, research, and conservation. Working through The Irvine Company and the Donald Bren Foundation, he has contributed more than $200 million to public schools on The Irvine Ranch in Orange County, California, and he has funded 50 endowed chairs for universities and research institutions. He is the single largest donor of endowed chairs at the University of California. Mr. Bren has been at the forefront of efforts to preserve environmentally-sensitive land in Southern California, a commitment that was recognized in 2006 with the designation of The Irvine Ranch’s protected parks and open spaces as a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Mr. Bren’s many business, civic, and philanthropic accomplishments

D O N AT I O N S

were honored in April 2007 with his election to The American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Burnham has doubled in size on Dr. Reed’s watch as President and CEO.

In the third and fourth quarters of Fiscal Year 2007 (January–June, 2007), the Burnham Institute for Medical Research received 813 new generous contributions and pledges providing several million dollars of support. The following list includes individuals, foundations, corporations and organizations whose giving was $5,000 or more. We are grateful for these gifts that support our many areas of research.

Individuals

JOHN C. REED, M.D., PH.D. President & CEO Donald Bren Presidential Chair

Since taking the helm in 2002, Dr. Reed has continued to build on his stature as a prominent medical researcher. Most recently, in 2006, he was named one of the top 10 “Doctors of the Decade” for peer citations of his publications published between 1995-2005, ranking #1 worldwide in the field of general biomedicine. Dr. Reed is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, and serves on the editorial boards of several scientific journals, companies, and non-profit organizations. In 2004, he was appointed to the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee, the governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine created by the California’s citizens with approval of ballot initiative Proposition 71 to provide funding for stem cell research. Dr. Reed is the inventor of Oblimersen sodium (GenasenseTM), a DNA-based drug for cancer, which recently successfully completed Phase III clinical trials.

Malin and Roberta Burnham June Chipman Howard and Toby Cohen Michael and Ellise Coit David and Natalie Dragotto Carlton J. Eibl and Amy Corton Howard and Carole Goldfeder Lynn Gorguze and Scott Peters Muriel and Harry Kaplan Robert and Laura Kyle Doug Obenshain Trent Reznor Dinah and William Ruch Robert Sanders Ramim Shamsiri and Donna Langly Carol and Ned Spieker Sandra and David Stone Jennifer and Doug Walner Sibyl White Joseph Zell

Foundations Donald Bren Foundation Leon Strauss Foundation Oxnard Foundation Robert M. Golden Foundation The Stanley Grundy Foundation, LTD Timothy Murphy Foundation

Corporations/Organizations Abcam Invitrogen Merck Serologicals Corporation STARS (Science, Technology And Research Support) www.burnham.org

9

philanthropy matters BURNHAM IN THE COMMUNITY PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL EVENT

From left to right: Burnham’s Dr. Stuart Lipton, Pianist Cecil Lytle, Derrick Cartwright and John Henry Waddell.

Members of the President’s Council at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research enjoyed this year’s annual event, “Exploring the Late Phases of Creativity”, a collaborative program between the Institute and the San Diego Museum of Art, located in Balboa Park.

Moderator, Derrick Cartwright, The Maruja Baldwin Director of the San Diego Museum of Art, explored the influence of aging on the creative process with a distinguished group of panelists including John Henry Waddell, sculptor and painter; Stuart Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., Neurologist and Director of Burnham’s Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging and Stem Cell Research Center; and Cecil Lytle, acclaimed pianist and Professor of Music at the University of California, San Diego.

Membership in the President’s Council is open to individuals who make an annual gift of $1,000 or more to the Burnham Institute for Medical Research. President’s Council support ensures scientists have access to the latest technological advances, helps young scientists launch their careers, and nurtures pilot projects that forge new frontiers.

To learn more about membership in the President’s Council, please contact Karen Overklift koverklift@burnham.org or (858) 795-5288.

10

www.burnham.org

GRASSROOTS EVENT BENEFITS CDG RESEARCH AT BURNHAM Recently, a group of dedicated family members organized a start-studded event on a studio back lot at Universal Studios to raise money for eight-month-old John Taylor Williams IV, a.k.a. “Rocket.”

At four months, Rocket was diagnosed with Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation (CDG), one of 25 rare diseases under intensive investigation

by Hudson Freeze, Ph.D., Director of Burnham’s Glycobiology Program. Patients with these diseases have mental and motor retardation, seizures, failure to grow, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), blood clotting and digestion abnormalities, to name just a few of the many complications.

Guests participated in a silent auction for celebrity items ranging from clothing and accessories to guitars and signed photos. This grassroots event raised over $55,000 for the Rocket Fund, directly John Taylor Williams IV was recently supporting Dr. Freeze’s CDG diagnosed with CDG. research at Burnham.

To learn more about the Rocket Fund or to make a donation, please contact Karen Overklift at koverklift@burnham.org or (858) 795-5288.

BURNHAM RECOGNIZES DONORS AT ANNUAL AWARD RECEPTION The Burnham Institute for Medical Research hosted its second annual Donor Recognition Reception on Thursday, May 17th at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines.

Donors were acknowledged at several giving levels including: President’s Council, $1,000; Chairman’s Council, $10,000; and Partners in Discovery, $100,000.

Board Chairman Nico Nierenberg shared his thoughts on philanthropy and what contributing to Burnham has meant to him and his wife, Caroline.

The evening concluded with a presentation of the inaugural Eric Dudl Scholarship. Candidates for this award must be postdoctoral associates or fellows conducting cancer research at Burnham. The award is named for Eric Dudl, a young, dedicated Burnham scientist who died in 2006 from lung cancer. Eric’s parents, Barbara and Jim, presented the scholarship award to Kenneth Yip, Ph.D.

FASHION TAKES CENTER STAGE TO SUPPORT BURNHAM INSTITUTE On October 18th and 19th, New York fashion designer Yigal Azrouel will present his 2008 spring clothing line at a benefit to support women’s cancer research at the Burnham.

Yigal is known for his feminine designs and expert draping techniques. This self-taught designer presents classic/dramatic silhouettes while maintaining a modern freshness. His designs have been worn by some of the hottest stars in Hollywood including Jodie Foster, Catherine Zeta Jones and Jessica Alba.

This two-day event will kick off with a fashion show, cocktail reception and special meet-and-greet with the designer on Thursday, October 18 at the Rancho Pacifica home of Joyce and Craig Grosvenor. On Friday, October 19, Yigal’s sister, Miriam Smotrich, will host a Trunk Show at her La Jolla, California home.

Please join co-chairs Muffy Walker and Miriam Smotrich for this exclusive opportunity! For tickets or additional information, please contact Jocelyn Wyndham at jwyndham@burnham.org or 858-795-5216 for more information!

Kenneth Yip, Ph.D., (center) receives the first Eric Dudl Scholarship presented by Jim and Barbara Dudl.

ILLUMINA CELEBRATES GROUNDBREAKING WITH GIFT TO BURNHAM Illumina, Inc. recently celebrated groundbreaking on new facilities at its San Diego headquarters by honoring the Burnham Institute for Medical Research with a gift of $5,000. Pictured left to right: Joe Panetta, President/CEO, BIOCOM; Jay Flatley, Chairman, Illumina; Karin Eastham, Executive Vice President/COO, Burnham Institute; and Alan D. Gold, Chairman, President/CEO, BioMed Realty.

www.burnham.org

11

U P D AT E F R O M F L O R I D A

ELIZABETH GIANINI NAMED VICE PRESIDENT, EXTERNAL RELATIONS FOR BURNHAM AT LAKE NONA, ORLANDO The Burnham Institute for Medical Research has

METRO ORLANDO EDC VISITS

recruited Elizabeth Gianini as Vice President, External

BURNHAM IN LA JOLLA

Relations for Burnham at Lake Nona, Orlando. Gianini

Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission

joined Burnham in July from her previous position as

recently brought 70 of Central Florida’s civic and

Chief of Staff to Mayor Richard T. Crotty.

business leaders to Burnham’s campus in La Jolla

In this new position, Elizabeth will be

and San Diego’s Torrey Pines Research Mesa for a

the public face of Burnham and raise

preview of what Floridians may expect as Medical

money for disease research including

City develops at Lake Nona. From left to right:

diabetes and obesity.

Karin Eastham, Burnham Chief Operating Officer;

Gianini was recently awarded Central Florida’s Outstanding Female of the

John Hellenmeyer, President/CEO Orlando Regional Healthcare, Ray Gilles, President/CEO, Metro

Year in the Orlando Business Journal’s “40 Under

Orlando Economic Development Commission and

40” competition.

Dr. John Reed, Burnham President and CEO.

BURNHAM GROUNDBREAKING

Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty; Orlando

On Wednesday, October 3, Florida leaders joined

Mayor John H. “Buddy” Dyer; Dr. John Hitt,

Burnham’s Dr. John Reed at a special groundbreak-

President of the University of Central Florida

ing ceremony marking the start of construction on

(UCF); Dr. Deborah German, Dean of UCF’s Medical

the Institute’s new facility at Lake Nona, Orlando.

School; and Rasesh Thakkar, CEO of the Tavistock

The following guests attended this historic event:

Financial Corporation.

12

www.burnham.org

philanthropy matters

Converting Gifts of Real Estate into Retirement Income The extraordinary growth of the net worth of Americans over the past 60 years has created two estate problems for the owners: 1) How to turn appreciated net worth into cash flow without tax depletion, and 2) How to transfer net worth to future generations in a protected way without tax depletion.

Chuck McLucas, President of Charitable Trust Administrators, Inc., recently shared a story about a creative way in which one of his clients generated retirement income for life by making a gift to charity. Their story reminds us of the value of gift planning for donors, financial advisors, as well as the charities involved.

For more information on making a gift of real estate to support medical research, contact Patty Fuller pfuller@burnham.org or (858) 795-5231.

The Story of Bill and Mary...

Bill and Mary sold their home of 25 years by transferring 63% of the $1,695,000 value of the

Calendar of Events OCTOBER 3, 2007

Groundbreaking for Burnham at Lake Nona, Orlando 9 a.m. Ceremony Lake Nona, Orlando site Florida leaders will join Burnham’s Dr. John Reed at a special groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of construction on the Institute’s new facility at Lake Nona, Orlando.

OCTOBER 18, 2007

Yigal Azrouel Fashion Show, benefiting cancer research at Burnham Craig and Joyce Grosvenor’s Home, San Diego 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Join us for the West Coast premier of New York fashion designer Yigal Azrouel’s 2008 spring clothing line.

Meet the designer at an intimate cocktail reception before models take to the runway. For ticket information, please contact Jocelyn Wyndham at jwyndham@burnham.org or 858-795-5216.

property into a Charitable Remainder Trust OCTOBER 19, 2007

(CRT). This arrangement required that they move out before the property was deeded. The remaining 37% of the property was retained by Bill and Mary and provided them with the cash to pay off

Yigal Azrouel Trunk Show Home of Dr. David and Miriam Smotrich, La Jolla 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., Free Try on, purchase, and order Yigal’s fashion designs.

their new home, buy furniture, and best of all, pay no taxes on the transaction. They used the $500,000 exclusion the IRS provides for the qualified sale of a personal residence. The CRT provided a significant part of their retirement income, almost $80,000 per year, and eliminated

NOVEMBER 17, 2007

2007 Burnham Gala, “A Toast to the Future” The Grand Del Mar, Del Mar, CA SOLD OUT Co-sponsored by Tiffany & Co., Papa Doug and Betsy Manchester, and Invitrogen

capital gains tax on the appreciated value of the property. The situation was a win-win for all parties. Bill and Mary had a new home, no debt,

For information on events, please contact Jocelyn Wyndham at jwyndham@burnham.org or 858-795-5216.

retirement income for life, and were able to leave a substantial gift to their favorite charity.

www.burnham.org

13

Team Burnham Announces

Additional Race Location for 2008

There are now two great reasons to join Team Burnham for Medical Research: P.F. Chang’s Rock n’ Roll Marathon & Half Marathon in Phoenix, Arizona and Walt Disney World Marathon® & Half Marathon in Orlando, Florida.

Last year, Team Burnham raised over $125,000 for medical research. This year, we’re hoping to double that amount. With your continued support, we can do it!

The races are open to everyone—no matter where you live! When you join Team Burnham, we’ll take care of the race entry fee, round-trip air transportation and hotel accommodations. We’ll also provide you with hands-on training from certified coaches. All we ask of you, along with training for the race, is to raise $3,000 for the world-class, innovative disease research underway at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research. Team Burnham funds are used to support scientists Amber Evans and working in a variety of research Jocelyn Wyndham, areas including all forms of cancer, charter members Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disof Team Burnham ease, heart disease, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, stem cell therapies and more.

If you are unable to run/walk this year, several sponsorship opportunities are still available. Please contact Claire Hill at (858) 795-5277 or chill@burnham.org to learn more.

About the Races: Walt Disney World Marathon & Half Marathon Saturday, January 12 and Sunday, January 13 Orlando, Florida Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to run through the most magical setting in the world! Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy will kick off the race with fireworks and several other Disney characters will be placed along the course to cheer you to the finish line! For additional information, visit disneyworldsports.disney.go.com.

P.F. Chang’s Rock n’ Roll Marathon & Half Marathon Sunday, January 13, 2008 Phoenix, Arizona Sixty live bands will set the tempo for the race with music ranging from reggae and jazz to country and rock as you make your way through Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe. Cool winter temperatures and courses that are both flat and fast make this the ideal race for both walkers and runners. For additional information, visit www.rnraz.com.

For more information, please contact Chris Lee at (858) 795-5232, email chrislee@burnham.org or visit www.burnham.org/teamburnham.

You can make a difference!

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID The Burnham Institute 10901 North Torrey Pines Road La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 646-3100 www.burnham.org