Will Rogers Institute
Encyclopedia
The Will Rogers Institute's mission is to perpetuate the memory of Will Rogers by promoting and engaging in medical research pertaining to cardiopulmonary diseases and educating the public on topics of health and fitness. It is named for actor and comedian Will Rogers
, who died in a plane crash in 1935.
The Institute supports research programs that study debilitating pulmonary disorders and provides pulmonary rehabilitation at academic and medical centers across the country and provides neonatal ventilators to needy hospitals so not one baby suffers or dies because of the lack of a proper ventilation system. For over 30 years, the Will Rogers Institute has been a leader in health-related public service announcements that appear on movie screens and television and heard on radio stations across the United States and provides free health booklets and materials.
Each summer in movie theaters across the country the Will Rogers Institute embarks upon a special fund-raising event - the Summer Theatrical Fund-Raising Campaign - that raises money for pulmonary research, medical school fellowships, neonatal ventilars and education. The summer campaign is a time-honored tradition that began in 1936 and starred
James Cagney
, Humphrey Bogart
and Bette Davis
, and recently has been hosted by celebrities such as Anthony Hopkins
, Tommy Lee Jones
, The Rock and Geena Davis
.
After viewing the theatrical public service announcement, moviegoes support the Institute by making a donation or purchasing a special combo pack at the movie theater's concession stand. The generosity of movie patrons - with the support and dedication of movie theaters, movie studios and sponsors - has enabled Will Rogers Institute to collect over $90 million for its causes.
Francis Collins
, present director of the NIH, was the first to receive the prize, which honored his discovery of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator encoding gene CFTR
, mutated in cystic fibrosis
, a genetic disease commonly found in Caucasian populations and often accompanied by severe pulmonary manifestations.
Peter Agre
, recipient of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was recognized with the Will Rogers Institute Annual Prize for Research in 2008 for his discovery of aquaporins: proteins that allow water molecules to cross biological membranes, and thereby play a vitally important role in epithelial physiology (including the physiology of pulmonary epithelium).
Bruce Beutler received the prize in 2009 for isolating tumor necrosis factor
(TNF), demonstrating its central role in inflammation, and subsequently discovering the receptor for lipopolysaccharide
(LPS), a member of the Toll-like receptor
family. This work revealed the key innate immune receptors through which mammals sense infection.
Anthony Fauci
received the 2011 prize for his pioneering work in the field of HIV/AIDS research.
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
, who died in a plane crash in 1935.
The Institute supports research programs that study debilitating pulmonary disorders and provides pulmonary rehabilitation at academic and medical centers across the country and provides neonatal ventilators to needy hospitals so not one baby suffers or dies because of the lack of a proper ventilation system. For over 30 years, the Will Rogers Institute has been a leader in health-related public service announcements that appear on movie screens and television and heard on radio stations across the United States and provides free health booklets and materials.
Each summer in movie theaters across the country the Will Rogers Institute embarks upon a special fund-raising event - the Summer Theatrical Fund-Raising Campaign - that raises money for pulmonary research, medical school fellowships, neonatal ventilars and education. The summer campaign is a time-honored tradition that began in 1936 and starred
James Cagney
James Cagney
James Francis Cagney, Jr. was an American actor, first on stage, then in film, where he had his greatest impact. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth...
, Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey DeForest Bogart was an American actor. He is widely regarded as a cultural icon.The American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male star in the history of American cinema....
and Bette Davis
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
, and recently has been hosted by celebrities such as Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
, Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor and film director. He has received three Academy Award nominations, winning one as Best Supporting Actor for the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive....
, The Rock and Geena Davis
Geena Davis
Virginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis is an American actress, film producer, writer, former fashion model, and a women's Olympics archery team semi-finalist...
.
After viewing the theatrical public service announcement, moviegoes support the Institute by making a donation or purchasing a special combo pack at the movie theater's concession stand. The generosity of movie patrons - with the support and dedication of movie theaters, movie studios and sponsors - has enabled Will Rogers Institute to collect over $90 million for its causes.
The Will Rogers Institute Annual Prize for Research
The Institute awards an Annual Prize for Research to scientists who have made seminal contributions to the understanding or treatment of pulmonary diseases. The Prize includes a $50,000 cash award. Initiated in 2007, the Annual Prize for Research has been awarded three times.Francis Collins
Francis Collins
Francis Collins may refer to:*Francis Collins , geneticist*Francis Dolan Collins , 19th century American politician-See also:*Frank Collins *Francis Collings, BBC journalist*Francis Collin, English footballer...
, present director of the NIH, was the first to receive the prize, which honored his discovery of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator encoding gene CFTR
Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator
Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CFTR gene.CFTR is a ABC transporter-class ion channel that transports chloride and thiocyanate ions across epithelial cell membranes...
, mutated in cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
, a genetic disease commonly found in Caucasian populations and often accompanied by severe pulmonary manifestations.
Peter Agre
Peter Agre
Peter Agre is an American medical doctor, professor, and molecular biologist who was awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of aquaporins. Aquaporins are water-channel proteins that move water molecules through the cell membrane...
, recipient of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was recognized with the Will Rogers Institute Annual Prize for Research in 2008 for his discovery of aquaporins: proteins that allow water molecules to cross biological membranes, and thereby play a vitally important role in epithelial physiology (including the physiology of pulmonary epithelium).
Bruce Beutler received the prize in 2009 for isolating tumor necrosis factor
Tumor necrosis factor
Tumor necrosis factor is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation and is a member of a group of cytokines that stimulate the acute phase reaction...
(TNF), demonstrating its central role in inflammation, and subsequently discovering the receptor for lipopolysaccharide
Lipopolysaccharide
Lipopolysaccharides , also known as lipoglycans, are large molecules consisting of a lipid and a polysaccharide joined by a covalent bond; they are found in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, act as endotoxins and elicit strong immune responses in animals.-Functions:LPS is the major...
(LPS), a member of the Toll-like receptor
Toll-like receptor
Toll-like receptors are a class of proteins that play a key role in the innate immune system. They are single, membrane-spanning, non-catalytic receptors that recognize structurally conserved molecules derived from microbes...
family. This work revealed the key innate immune receptors through which mammals sense infection.
Anthony Fauci
Anthony Fauci
Anthony S. Fauci is an immunologist who has made substantial contributions to research in the areas of AIDS and other immunodeficiencies, both as a scientist and as the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .-Education and career:Anthony Stephen Fauci was born on...
received the 2011 prize for his pioneering work in the field of HIV/AIDS research.