MBL Announces Largest Ever Gift for Its Renowned Biological Education and Research Programs

Cell Biology Researcher Mark Terasaki's $25 Million Unrestricted Gift Will Support Operations and Infrastructure

WOODS HOLE, Mass., July 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Marine Biological Laboratory today announced a $25 million gift of unrestricted support from Mark Terasaki, an MBL Whitman Scientist and Associate Professor in the University of Connecticut Health Center's Department of Cell Biology. The gift will provide $5 million annually for the next five years to support core operations and infrastructure for MBL's education and research programs.

"Mark's gift is the largest private contribution that MBL has received in its 137-year history," explained MBL Board Chair Bill Huyett. "Beyond reflecting his extraordinary generosity, Mark's support is notable for its purpose: helping to underwrite the scientific and administrative infrastructure that sustains the excellence of our training and research programs and the impact they deliver. Unrestricted support is invaluable—it allows us to adapt to the rapidly evolving world of basic research and ensure our programs deliver the greatest possible impact."

Terasaki said, "I am so pleased to be able to help support the MBL. The infrastructure costs are essential to keep it running. I have spent 40 consecutive summers at the MBL. I know it to be a magical place where wonderful interactions and insights occur. Throughout its long history, many important biological discoveries have been made there, and its educational program has been world-class for just as long.

"This donation is part of the legacy of my late father, Paul I. Terasaki.  He was a pioneer in human transplantation and founded One Lambda, a company specializing in transplant diagnostics."

MBL Director Nipam Patel, PhD. observed, "Mark's philanthropy represents the kind of support that is especially critical as sharp reductions in federal funding for basic biological research impede scientists' ability to make the discoveries and technical advances that drive biological discovery forward. His support will benefit the full range of MBL's education and research programs and provide fundamental resources for our work in the foundational science underpinning all areas of biology."

Patel noted that many in the public — and some large funding organizations — do not fully appreciate the importance of support for core activities: "It is easy to overlook the essential contributions that facilities, core equipment, and support staff make to our research and education excellence," Patel said. "But the fact is that the potential long-term impact of Mark's support is vast — enabling scientists to make breakthrough discoveries that profoundly impact society and the natural world."

About the MBL

The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is dedicated to scientific discovery – exploring fundamental biology, understanding marine biodiversity and the environment, and informing the human condition through research and education. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution and an affiliate of the University of Chicago.

Contact
Name: Samantha Cummis
Title: Director, Communications
Organization: Marine Biological Laboratory
Phone: 973.800.4119
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.mbl.edu

SOURCE Marine Biological Laboratory