Entrepreneur and philanthropist Eli Broad and his wife, Edythe, have pledged $5 million through The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation to endow a professorial chair at Caltech named in honor of David Baltimore, Nobel laureate, Caltech president emeritus, and Robert Andrews Millikan Professor of Biology.
Eli Broad has been called a "patron of Los Angeles." For decades, he has been one of the city's foremost civic and philanthropic leaders. Advocating causes ranging from public education to the arts, from life sciences research to a revitalized city center, Broad has been a galvanizing force for our communities. In 2007 the Caltech Board of Trustees elected Eli Broad a "Life Member" in recognition of his long-term commitment to the Institute and the leadership he provided while serving on the Caltech board since 1993.
With this latest gift to Caltech, Eli and Edythe Broad are recognizing the legacy of a scientist who has contributed widely to the understanding of cancer, AIDS, and the molecular basis of the immune response.