Transformational $50 million gift will launch the Lurie Autism Institute at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine

Landmark philanthropic partnership will establish a joint initiative for autism research and treatment

PHILADELPHIA, June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A $50 million gift to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Penn Medicine will create an ambitious joint initiative called the Lurie Autism Institute to drive discoveries with transformative impact for those living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The gift, from the Lurie family, is the largest single donation to U.S. academic medical centers focused on autism research across the lifespan.

Over 75 million people worldwide are living with ASD, including one in 31 children and one in 45 adults in the U.S. The Lurie family's investment will strategically leverage CHOP and Penn Medicine's strengths in autism research and translation to seek answers to the most challenging and important questions around ASD. Rooted in a collaboration between world-renowned centers in pediatric research and academic medicine, the Institute leverages a shared commitment to innovation to turn bold ideas into tangible change. This first-of-its kind Institute aims to be a global hub for autism research that connects scientists, clinicians, families, students, and donors.

"We established the Lurie Autism Institute to spark a new era of scientific discovery in autism. CHOP and Penn Medicine bring unmatched expertise and a proven record of innovation, and together, they have the tools to unlock answers that have eluded the field for far too long," said Jeffrey Lurie, Chairman and CEO of the Philadelphia Eagles and founder of the Eagles Autism Foundation. "By investing in cutting-edge science and the infrastructure to move it forward, we're aiming not just to understand autism more deeply—but to transform what's possible for individuals and families worldwide." 

Powered by Penn Medicine and CHOP's long history of partnering on transformative breakthroughs for the care of both children and adults, the Lurie Autism Institute is poised to make fresh discoveries that will reshape how we understand and treat autism.

Together, Penn Medicine and CHOP have joined forces to produce some of the most important scientific breakthroughs of the last 20 years, including lifesaving vaccines, the first FDA-approved CAR T cell therapy for cancers, gene therapy for blindness, hemophilia and neurologic disorders, and the first personalized, CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy for rare metabolic diseases. The two institutions are also home to a host of pediatric-to-adult transition programs, including those for sickle cell anemia, congenital heart disease, digestive diseases and Williams syndrome that help families navigate the path to healthier adulthoods with chronic conditions.

"This gift will harness our longstanding, combined expertise to advance much-needed research to help people with autism spectrum disorder," said Jonathan A. Epstein, MD, Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine and Executive Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System. "The Lurie Family's commitment to this critical area of focus is inspiring, and we greatly appreciate the trust placed in us as we accelerate the next generation of ASD research and treatment."

"The Lurie Autism Institute will enable us to find quicker and better answers for children and adults living with this complex condition," said Madeline Bell, CEO of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "We are so grateful to the Lurie Family for their ongoing support of autism research, which will build on the success of established programs like the Center for Autism Research at CHOP and the Autism Spectrum Program of Excellence at Penn by bringing the top experts in the field together to make breakthroughs in autism research and care."

The Institute will lead a bold effort to transform the understanding and care of autism, including efforts to:

• Develop a better understanding of the genetics and complex biological processes underlying autism, including the role of environmental and epigenetic factors in its development;
• Uncover how the diverse behaviors among the autism spectrum manifest and evolve across the lifespan;
• Develop more advanced lab models to understand how autism impacts brain function across the lifespan;
• Explore why some individuals with autism have minimal speaking ability, using insights from brain and language science;
• Use AI to analyze large-scale biological and behavioral data to identify new treatment targets and existing drugs that may be repurposed for ASD.
• Conduct research to study autism-related genes and their potential as therapeutic targets;
• Prepare to launch clinical trials that prioritize both behavioral and pharmacological interventions for ASD.
• Launch the Next-Generation Program in Autism Bioscience, a certificate program for PhD trainees and postdocs;
• Serve as global conveners for the best ideas in the field by hosting an annual International Symposium and awarding the new Lurie Autism Institute Prize for ASD Research.

An international search will soon be underway to appoint the Institute's founding director — a visionary leader with clinical and scientific expertise who will help drive its innovative mission forward.

The Lurie Family has a long history of supporting individuals living with ASD. In 1977, Nancy Lurie Marks founded the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation (NLMFF) with a mission of helping individuals with autism lead fulfilling and rewarding lives. The NLMFF established the Lurie Center for Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2009, and Jeffrey Lurie created the Eagles Autism Foundation in 2018. The Lurie Autism Institute at CHOP and Penn Medicine will complement and build upon the history of success of these other organizations as well as create new opportunities to understand the fundamental science of autism and improve the lives of individuals with ASD.

"We are honored to be part of making the Lurie Autism Institute possible because we know how much remains to be discovered about the nature of autism; the educational, social, and life issues for individuals and families with autism; and for society's understanding of autism," said Nancy Lurie Marks. "CHOP and Penn Medicine have an incredible record of successful collaborations that result in real answers for people, and we know they will come together to accelerate discoveries and therapies for individuals living with ASD."

About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: 
A non-profit, charitable organization, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, the hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. The institution has a well-established history of providing advanced pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network, which includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. CHOP also operates the Middleman Family Pavilion and its dedicated pediatric emergency department in King of Prussia, the Behavioral Health and Crisis Center (including a 24/7 Crisis Response Center) and the Center for Advanced Behavioral Healthcare, a mental health outpatient facility. Its unique Family-centered care and public service programs have brought Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit https://www.chop.edu.

About Penn Medicine:
Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, excellence in patient care, and community service. The organization consists of the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) and Penn's Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school.

The Perelman School of Medicine is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $580 million awarded in the 2023 fiscal year. Home to a proud history of "firsts," Penn Medicine teams have pioneered discoveries that have shaped modern medicine, including CAR T cell therapy for cancer and the Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System cares for patients in facilities and their homes stretching from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania to the New Jersey shore. UPHS facilities include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Chester County Hospital, Doylestown Health, Lancaster General Health, Princeton Health, and Pennsylvania Hospital—the nation's first hospital, chartered in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Penn Medicine at Home, GSPP Rehabilitation, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.

Penn Medicine is an $11.9 billion enterprise powered by nearly 49,000 talented faculty and staff.

About the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation:
The Nancy Lurie Marks (NLM) Family Foundation is one of the world's largest private funders of autism research. The primary mission of the NLM Family Foundation is to help individuals with autism lead fulfilling and rewarding lives. The Foundation is committed to understanding autism from a scientific perspective, increasing opportunities and services available to the autism community, and educating the public about autism. In pursuit of this mission, the Foundation develops and provides grants to programs in research (including multi-institutional program projects, career development awards, and post-doctoral fellowships), clinical care, policy, advocacy, and education.

About the Lurie Family Foundation:
The Lurie Family Foundation's global mission is to support innovative autism research to help transform autism science and improve the lives of autistic individuals everywhere.

About the Eagles Autism Foundation:
The Eagles Autism Foundation is dedicated to raising funds for innovative autism research and care programs. By providing the necessary resources to doctors and scientists at leading institutions, we will be able to assist those currently affected by autism, as well as future generations. The Foundation aims to inspire and engage the community, so together, we can provide much-needed support to make a lasting impact in the field of autism. Please visit EaglesAutismFoundation.org.

Media Contacts:
Kaitlyn Tivenan
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
610-618-0542 (cell)
[email protected] 

Carol Berman
Penn Medicine
267-254-8643 (cell)
[email protected] 

Anthony Bonagura
Philadelphia Eagles
[email protected] 

SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia