Thankfully, we seem to be back on track and we’ve seen some positive late-breaking developments related to our research priorities. We announced in late September that the Division of Biology and Medicine research center focused on RNA science breakthroughs has been renamed the Giuliani RNA Center, in recognition of a generous gift from health care investor and Brown trustee Giammaria Giuliani and his wife, Sabrina. In addition to strengthening the center’s infrastructure, the Giulianis’ gift will support seed awards for early-stage science, discovery research funds, and innovation efforts led by RNA Center members. The gift will also fund an endowed assistant professorship, strengthening the ability of center leaders to recruit and retain outstanding junior faculty. The Giulianis share our vision for the immense potential of RNA technology and we are grateful for their generous support.

We also received an $11.1 million Center of Biomedical Research Excellence grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish the COBRE Center for RNA Biology in Health and Disease. Led by principal investigator Will Fairbrother, PhD, the COBRE will provide the infrastructure for a new RNome Core Facility that will facilitate a growing cohort of RNA scientists, not only at Brown but across Rhode Island. These resources are a vital next step in our progression toward becoming a global hub for RNA research.

Lastly, in August, we celebrated the placement of the last steel beam in the William A. and Ami Kuan Danoff Life Sciences Laboratories, the state-of-the-art facility for integrated research rising across the street from The Warren Alpert Medical School. The topping-off ceremony allowed us to express our deep gratitude to the Danoffs and to recognize the hard work of the tradespeople who are building this magnificent facility. We are looking ahead with excitement to its opening in spring 2027. Such support from both philanthropic partners and federal sources will be key to our continued success and the growth of our research enterprise. We are fortunate to have their strong partnership in this effort.

—Mukesh K. Jain, MD 
Senior Vice President for Health Affairs Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences