McAllen Medical Center Foundation gives UTRGV $100,000 to start endowed professorship at South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute have gained another partner in the fight against diabetes. The McAllen Medical Center Foundation, a nonprofit wing of the McAllen Medical Center, today announced that it is funding a $100,000 professorship for the institute, a UTRGV research, clinical and education program that will conduct advanced research on diabetes and obesity and, ultimately, help develop better treatments. During a press conference Monday at McAllen Medical Center, UTRGV Founding President Guy Bailey thanked the foundation for its support and said partnerships with area hospitals are key to the success of UTRGV and its School of Medicine. The partnership established with this endowment will allow UTRGV to tackle an increasingly pervasive health issue for the Valley and the nation. The professorship endowment will be funded over two years: $60,000 for the first year and $40,000 for the second year. The gift may also be eligible for additional funding from The University of Texas System's Research Incentive Program for the Comprehensive Universities (UTrip- CU) funding at 30 percent, or $30,000. "When you think about the benefits of having this partnership of the McAllen Medical Center Foundation with the STDOI team, we are looking at a permanent relationship that allows us to think about how best to plan for the future," Fernandez said. "The professorship actually ensures us that this can happen. And we will make the most of it, with new and innovative programs that will eventually improve the health of our citizens. "It not only helps the science, it helps the educational mission. And, of course, if you make the impact that you hope to make in patient care, it helps all three missions: clinical, education and research." Source:http://www.utrgv.edu/en-us/about-utrgv/news/press-releases/2015/april-27-mcallen-medical-center-foundation-donation/