West LA Times

UCLA has received a $120 million commitment from surgeon and inventor Dr. Gary Michelson and his wife, Alya, for the new California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy. The gift will help establish two research entities within the institute: one focusing on rapid vaccine development and the other on harnessing the microbiome to advance human health. It will also fund an endowment to provide research grants to young scientists using novel processes to advance immunotherapy research, human immunology, and vaccine discovery.

The California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy is an innovative public-private partnership aimed at spurring breakthrough discoveries that prevent and cure diseases while catalyzing economic growth and innovation in Los Angeles. Michelson, a spine surgeon who holds nearly 1,000 patents, is co-founder and chair of the board of the institute, which will be housed at UCLA’s state-of-the-art research park.

The gift, distributed via the Michelson Medical Research Foundation, designates $100 million to establish two research entities within the institute. Each entity will receive $50 million; one focuses on rapid vaccine development while the other targets harnessing the microbiome to advance human health. The microbiome research will be conducted in collaboration with the new UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center.

Additionally, a $20 million endowment funded by Michelson Philanthropies will provide research grants to young scientists working on advancing immunotherapy research, human immunology, and vaccine discovery.

“The UCLA community owes Alya and Gary Michelson a debt of gratitude for this transformative gift,” said UCLA Interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt. “The Michelsons envisioned an institute that would leverage UCLA’s strengths for maximum public good... The gift will change countless lives here and across the globe.”

“Immunology is the mediator of nearly all human diseases,” said Gary Michelson. “The vision for this institute is to become a ‘field of dreams’ — developing advanced immunotherapies to prevent, treat and cure all diseases...”

Michelson added that scientific research is key to making possible longer and healthier lives: “There is no place that we could make an investment that will have a more profound effect on so many.”

Photo illustration: David Esquivel and Suzannah Mathur/UCLA

The California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy will be housed at UCLA Research Park on the site of the former Westside Pavilion shopping mall.

The institute was co-founded by Meyer Luskin, Dr. Eric Esrailian, Dr. Arie Belldegrun, Michael Milken, and Sean Parker. At 360,000 square feet, it will be part of the 700,000-square-foot UCLA Research Park acquired in January 2024 with support from a $200 million appropriation from California.

Former UCLA Chancellor Gene Block played a central role in coordinating this acquisition: “I am incredibly excited... I believe as strongly as ever that UCLA...will be the perfect home for it,” he said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom stated: “This incredible act of generosity by Alya and Gary Michelson...perfectly exemplifies the California spirit...”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass commented: “Locking arms to make investments like this opens possibilities for groundbreaking research...”

Operating as a nonprofit medical research organization governed by an independent board including UCLA representatives, recipient of this $120 million gift from the Michelsons is David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Dr. John Mazziotta expressed gratitude towards Alya and Gary Michelson stating their vision supports curing some of today’s most devastating disorders together.

This donation marks their single largest philanthropic contribution over more than three decades dedicated towards social equity initiatives such as medical research education reform prison reform animal welfare among others.

In 2016 they signed "The Giving Pledge," encouraging wealthiest individuals contributing majority fortunes philanthropic causes initiated Bill Gates Warren Buffett

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