UNC’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center is looking to further its reputation as a leader in innovative cancer research, thanks to a recent $20 million donation to the program.
According to a release shared on Thursday, the “transformational” gift will help fuel the next generation of cancer treatments and support all aspects of Lineberger, particularly focusing on clinical trials for near-term cancer targets, expansion of its Advanced Cellular Therapeutics (ACT) Facility, and recruitment and retention of faculty thought leaders.
“Carolina is defining the future of cancer care,” UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts wrote in the release. “At UNC Lineberger, therapies designed and manufactured in Chapel Hill are moving from discovery to clinical trials, creating new possibilities for patients with few other options. This extraordinary commitment will strengthen that work and our ability to serve people across North Carolina while advancing care nationwide. We are deeply grateful for the donor’s vision and generosity.”
The anonymous donor is not a UNC graduate nor is a patient of the cancer center, but he does have a 30-year relationship with the university, according to Margaret Ann Bollmeier of the UNC Health Foundation. At July’s Board of Trustees meeting, Bollmeier said they ultimately gave after the development team strategically taught him the importance of the CAR-T cell therapy done through the program. With help from the donation, the university has received more than $606 million in new philanthropic commitments, a 28% increase over FY2025 and 40% increase over FY2024, with $472 million in cash.
The Lineberger Cancer Center has been a national leader in cancer research and care for more than 50 years, particularly in cellular immunotherapy, according to the release. The university is home to researchers working to advance novel CAR-T therapies for a wide variety of cancer types, including lymphoma, neuroblastoma, glioblastoma, lung cancer, head and neck cancers, pancreatic cancer, triple-negative breast cancer and ovarian cancer, with future studies focusing on acute myelogenous leukemia.
“It is always so special when donors see us as a partner in pursuing their passion through philanthropy, and this is a shining example of that,” CEO of UNC Health and dean of the UNC School of Medicine Cristy Page said. “This gift gets to the heart of our mission of service and reflects the stellar legacy that our experts at UNC Lineberger and within our Cellular Immunotherapy Program have built. I am truly grateful for this generous show of support, which will lead to more tailored care and better outcomes for patients.”
The donation will support T cell engineering and manufacturing on-site at UNC-Chapel Hill. It will also help fund the specialized teams needed to run the trials, including regulatory experts experienced in investigational new drugs, clinical trial coordinators, cell processing and ACT Facility partners and oncologists across multiple disease specialties. As a result of the commitment, UNC Lineberger will also be able to sustain and expand operations for the ACT Facility.
Ultimately, the gift aims to help build momentum behind local innovation.
“This incredible commitment to our Cellular Immunotherapy Program is an investment in innovative research, clinical excellence and, most importantly, better outcomes for patients and families from across North Carolina and around the world who have been impacted by cancer,” Robert L. Ferris, executive director of UNC Lineberger and chief of oncology clinical services at UNC Health, said in Thursday’s release. “Our internationally renowned experts in the field of immunotherapy have made UNC Lineberger a destination for world-leading science and a commitment to compassionate care, and I am grateful for a gift of this magnitude that will help us continue to lead the way.”
Featured image via UNC Lineberger Advanced Therapeutics Facility/UNC School of Medicine.
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