Wood Family Gives $11.5M for Amyloidosis Research

I am pleased to share that Boca Raton philanthropists Ann and John Wood of the FairfaxWood Scholarship Foundation have donated an incredible $11.5 million to Florida Atlantic’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine in support of amyloidosis research. With personal significance for the Wood family, their generous gift will establish the FairfaxWood Health & Innovation Technology Initiative, the FAU Amyloidosis Project and the endowed FairfaxWood Chair of Clinical Neurosciences.

The initiative will be driven by a team of clinicians, researchers and world-class institutes working together to treat and cure amyloidosis, a complex and life-threatening disease that can be present throughout the body, including the heart, kidneys, liver and brain. The institute also will leverage cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, data science and nanotechnology that may lead to future opportunities for work involving other devastating illnesses.

The inaugural FairfaxWood Chair, Michael R. Dobbs, M.D., will lead the charge for the initiative by overseeing research, faculty and programming within the Schmidt College of Medicine’s newly created Clinical Neurosciences Department. Additionally, Dobbs will spearhead external outreach to increase collaborations among leaders in amyloidosis and related disease research.

This transformational gift from the Wood family marks their fourth contribution to the Schmidt College of Medicine and follows a $28 million scholarship gift in 2022 to enable debt-free tuition for aspiring physicians. We are eternally grateful to Ann and John Wood for their vision, generosity and continued support of our medical school through this extraordinary gift.

The FairfaxWood Health & Innovation Technology Initiative will transform the way our researchers and clinicians study and treat amyloidosis and other serious medical conditions that require a synergistic approach to improve health and quality of life. We look forward to bringing new research, treatments and hope to all who are impacted by this disease.