UCLA Gets $1 Million Donation For Geriatric Research

LOS ANGELES, CA —UCLA announced Monday that it has received a $1 million commitment from Mark Attanasio and his wife Debbie to support the new Innovation in Geriatric Medicine Fund at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine.

Mark Attanasio, who is the principal owner of Major League Baseball's Milwaukee Brewers, said the contribution was made to UCLA out of gratitude for the care UCLA Health has provided to his family, particularly his mother.

"Our family sees the Innovation in Geriatric Medicine Fund as an opportunity to make both an immediate and long-term difference in responding to the growing need for high-quality geriatric care," Attanasio said. "We strongly believe our society must elevate the elderly and value their wisdom and love. They should be cherished and not forgotten."

According to a release, the Innovation in Geriatric Medicine Fund will provide resources for early-stage research, physician training and education, and clinical programs under the direction of Dr. Brandon Koretz, co-chief of the division of geriatrics.

The fund's first seed funding recipient is Dr. Deena Goldwater, a UCLA geriatric cardiologist and assistant clinical professor, whose specialty is managing cardiovascular disease in relation to aging.

Goldwater will be working to gain a better understanding of aging-related changes that diminish resilience in older adults with cardiovascular disease and developing interventions to promote healthful aging, according to the university.

"The Innovation in Geriatric Medicine Fund will advance a variety of efforts to improve the health of older adults, from accelerating fundamental research and developing new diagnostics and therapeutics to building a pipeline of future geriatrician–scientists," Koretz said. "By supporting these efforts, this generous gift from the Attanasio family will help UCLA improve care and quality of life for older adults in Los Angeles and around the world."

According to UCLA, the research that will be done thanks to the Innovation in Geriatric Medicine Fund will help prepare physicians to care for a growing elderly population. By 2030, about 70 million Americans — approximately 20 percent of the population — will be 65 or older, which could seriously strain the nation's health care system, the school said.

Attanasio is the co-founder and managing partner of Los Angeles-based Crescent Capital Group LP. According to a release, he and Debbie also are actively involved in numerous philanthropies focusing on underprivileged youth, high school and higher education, the arts and Jewish and Catholic communities.