Life Sciences Institute kicks off Look to Michigan Campaign with three gifts supporting faculty and students

A gift from Greg Margolies will create two new endowed professorships, bolstering the institute’s ability to recruit and retain exceptional faculty members who can propel transformative scientific research at U-M. 

The two professorships — the Margolies Family Professorship of the Life Sciences and the Gregory A. Margolies Professorship of the Life Sciences — will provide research funds for, respectively, one LSI faculty member conducting cancer-related research and one faculty member working in an area of research deemed by the LSI director as crucial to the success of the institute.

"I am honored to support the LSI in its mission to advance cutting-edge research and education," said Greg Margolies. "Investing in the future of scientific discovery will ensure that the institute can continue to attract and retain the faculty members who will drive transformative breakthroughs. I am excited to see the impact this contribution will have on both faculty and students at the LSI."

In support of this major fundraising priority, the university has committed matching funds for commitments that will help expand endowed professorships for LSI faculty.

With the first endowed gift to the LSI specifically to support fellowships for graduate students conducting research in the institute, Kay Chandler has established the Julie Chandler Emery Graduate Student Fellowship in the Life Sciences. The fund is named in memory of Chandler’s late sister, Julie Chandler Emery, who passed away in 2020.

"As a nurse practitioner and nurse anesthetist who spent her career helping others, Julie was passionate about education and human health, and this fellowship will help to nurture the next generation of life sciences researchers," said Kay Chandler. It is my hope that this fellowship will not only honor her legacy but also empower students to achieve their full potential and make meaningful contributions to their fields."

The David and Michelle Kroin Family Scholarship Fund was established in 2016, as part of the Victors for Michigan Campaign. As the university enters its new Look to Michigan Campaign, David Kroin and Michelle Blau Kroin have made an additional commitment to grow the scope of the program. The newly named David and Michelle Kroin Graduate Student Professional Development Program will support more graduate students to participate in a wide range of professional development and networking activities that can connect them to their futures as scientific leaders.

"We are thrilled to continue our support for the LSI through the David and Michelle Kroin Graduate Student Professional Development Program," said David Kroin and Michelle Blau Kroin. "By expanding the program’s reach and impact, we hope to facilitate more opportunities for students to engage in professional development and networking activities, paving the way for their future success. We are pleased to contribute to their journeys and look forward to seeing the remarkable achievements that will come from this support."

The recent gifts will contribute nearly $3 million toward two of the LSI’s three major goals for the Look to Michigan Campaign, which include:

• Catalyze transformative discovery science by recruiting and retaining top faculty at U-M and providing them with the resources to launch innovative projects that can solve tomorrow’s major biological challenges.
• Train the next generation of scientific leaders by investing in the education and professional development of researchers from the high school through postdoctoral levels.
• Accelerate scientific possibilities for researchers across the institute and the university by expanding computational and AI-based technologies in our scientific cores. 

“What a privilege it is to have such dedicated donors and board members. They have been committed to advising and guiding the development and growth of the Life Sciences Institute over our first two decades," says Roger Cone, Ph.D., the Mary Sue Coleman Director of the LSI. "And their recent endowed gifts will help ensure a continuity of transformative discovery and world class education for the next generation."

L. Kay Chandler founded Cooley LLP’s San Diego office and recently retired as a partner in the business department of Cooley LLP and member of the life sciences practice group. Throughout her career, she represented public and private life sciences companies in a wide range of corporate and commercial matters. She is a member of the LSI Leadership Council and also serves on the boards of directors of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance and Thirona Biosciences, a private biotech company, while continuing to provide advisory services to life sciences companies. Kay received her J.D. and B.A. in economics from the University of Michigan.

David Kroin is the founder of Deep Track Capital, an asset management firm investing in the biotechnology industry. He has over 25 years of investing experience in the healthcare industry and has served on numerous boards of public and private health care companies. He holds a B.S. in actuarial mathematics from the University of Michigan and is a member of the LSI Leadership Council.

Michelle Blau Kroin is the president of the Six String Giving Foundation, a charitable organization focused on food insecurity and adolescent support. She holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from the George Washington University School of Law.

Greg Margolies is a Partner in the Ares Credit Group. He serves as a member of the Ares Credit Group's Opportunistic Credit Investment Committees and is on the Board of Directors of the Ares Charitable Foundation. Prior to joining Ares in 2009, he served as a managing director and Global Head of Leveraged Finance and Capital Commitments at Merrill Lynch & Co. and was a member of the Executive Committee for Merrill Lynch's Global Investment Banking Group. Previously, he was co-head of the DB Capital Mezzanine Fund. Margolies serves on the Board of Directors for the International Organization for Women and Development and the Leadership Council for LSI, and is a member of the University of Michigan Provost's Advisory Committee. He holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan in international economics and finance and an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business.