Clinical Translation Fund

Support the Clinical Translation Fund on Vanderbilt’s 10th Giving Day
Anchored in Discovery. Building what’s next.

We’re 10 Giving Days in, and the momentum continues.
At Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences, your gift fuels real impact—right now.

Bridging the Gap: From Discovery to Impact
Every medical breakthrough begins with a moment of discovery—a protein identified, a biological pathway revealed, a target found. But between that discovery and a treatment that helps patients lies a critical and often underfunded gap: the proof-of-concept work that transforms a promising idea into a viable path forward. Without this step, countless discoveries never reach their potential.

The Clinical Translation Fund exists to bridge that gap. Its annual income supports feasibility studies at the frontier of biomedical research—the early, rigorous experiments that demonstrate whether a discovery can become a drug, a diagnostic or a therapy. By funding this pivotal stage, the endowment gives researchers the opportunity to test bold ideas, attract larger investments and move science from the laboratory bench closer to the patients who need it most.

The newly established Clinical Translation Fund was created in honor of Dr. Larry Marnett, founding dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences, and his 50 years of outstanding contributions and leadership in academia. Join us in honoring Dr. Marnett’s distinguished impact on basic science research and dedication to developing treatments and cures for life-altering diseases.

Amplify your Impact
School of Medicine Basic Sciences Donor Challenge
When 100 donors make a gift to any area of School of Medicine Basic Sciences, a $50,000 gift will be unlocked to the Clinical Translation Fund, which exists to bridge the gap between the moment of discovery in a lab to the treatment, drug, diagnostic or therapy that directly benefits patients. This fund was created in honor of Dr. Larry Marnett’s 50 years of outstanding contributions and leadership in academia.
Dean’s Power Hour
From 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Dean John Kuriyan will match, dollar for dollar, all gifts to the School of Medicine Basic Sciences—up to a total of $5,000—with a gift to the Roger Chalkley, Ph.D. Critical Need Fund, which provides assistance to Ph.D. students facing unexpected challenges.

One moment. One opportunity. Don’t miss it.

Be Part of our 10th Giving Day
Every donor counts. Every gift matters. Give to the Clinical Translation Fund today.