Icahns give $20 million for new genomics lab
The Icahn Family Foundation has made a gift of $20
million to construct a state-of-the-art building on campus,
the Carl C. Icahn Laboratory, which will be home to the new
interdisciplinary Institute for Integrative Genomics.
Its facilities will be designed to support pioneering
research on genomics, the study of genes and their function,
and related biological studies. Icahn, founder and president
of the foundation, is a member of the Class of 1957.
"This generous gift will allow Princeton to accelerate
its critical research efforts in the fast-evolving field of
life science, where so many important discoveries seem
imminent," said President Shapiro.
The Icahn Laboratory will be adjacent to the molecular
biology labs. Construction of the new building, which will
include teaching areas along with high-tech labs and core
facilities, is expected to begin next summer and to be
completed by early 2002.
New insight into nature of life
According to Shirley Tilghman, Howard A. Prior Professor
in the Life Sciences and founding director of the institute,
the building will accommodate 12 faculty members, and more
than 100 associated undergraduates, graduate students,
postdoctoral scholars and technical support staff.
"I can think of no more exciting area of research than
genomics, which holds the promise of giving us new insight
into the nature of life itself," Icahn said. "And with
Princeton's long reputation for innovations in science, I
can think of no more appropriate location for this
groundbreaking new research center."
A philosophy major at Princeton, Icahn began his career
as a stockbroker in 1961. He is now president and CEO of his
own firm, Icahn and Co. Inc., which specializes in real
estate development, oil and gas, railcar leasing and
manufacturing, and technology firms.
Children's rights, scholarships
A philanthropist with a special interest in abused and
neglected children, Icahn chairs the board of Children's
Rights Inc. and was the founder of Icahn House, a home for
single mothers and their children. He has established the
Icahn Scholars Program at Choate Rosemary Hall, as well as
institutes at the Benjamin N. Cardoza School of Law and the
Wurzweiler School of Social Work, and he has created
scholarships at a number of schools, including Princeton.
The Icahn Family Foundation supports a broad range of
charitable and educational organizations.
The Icahn gift is part of the Anniversary Campaign for
Princeton, which now has raised more than $840 million of a
total goal of $900 million.
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