Los Angeles, California, USA: Gambhir was an alumnus of the UCLA-Caltech MSTP and a globally respected innovator in molecular imaging and early cancer diagnosis.
In a significant advancement for medical training and scientific research, the Gambhir Family Trust has pledged more than $4 million to the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
The contribution will bolster UCLA’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) and finance the establishment of a $3 million endowed chair along with a $1 million fellowship aimed at educating the next generation of physician-scientists.
The trust was founded by Indian American physician Sanjiv “Sam” Gambhir and his wife, Aruna Bodapati Gambhir. Sam passed away from cancer in 2020 at the age of 57. The family had earlier endured the loss of their teenage son to cancer in 2015, followed by the death of Aruna Gambhir from breast cancer in 2023.
The UCLA-Caltech MSTP combines medical and doctoral education to prepare graduates for leadership roles in biomedical research. University representatives stated that the donation will enhance long-term stability and resources for the program and its trainees.
“This remarkable gift from the Gambhir family will significantly support the development of future leaders in medical science,” said Olujimi Ajijola, professor of medicine at UCLA and co-director of the MSTP.
David Dawson, co-director of the MSTP and professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, added, “We are privileged to help carry forward Sam Gambhir’s extraordinary legacy and deeply appreciate the generosity of the Gambhir family.”
Sanjiv Gambhir, a UCLA-educated physician, biomathematician, and faculty member, completed the UCLA-Caltech MSTP and was internationally known for his groundbreaking work in molecular imaging and early cancer detection.
He received his doctorate in biomathematics from UCLA in 1990 and earned his medical degree in 1993. In 1994, he joined the UCLA faculty as an assistant professor of molecular and medical pharmacology, later becoming vice chair of the department and director of the Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging.
In 2003, Gambhir transitioned to Stanford University, where he served as chair of radiology, led the nuclear medicine division, and directed several research centres dedicated to early cancer detection and precision health.
After his son died from glioblastoma multiforme in 2015, Gambhir further intensified his efforts in early cancer detection and precision health research. In 2017, he played a key role in launching Stanford’s Precision Health and Integrated Diagnostics Centre.
“When Sam passed away, medical science lost an exceptional leader, and our family lost a beloved brother and son,” said Sangeeta Gambhir, his sister and a trustee of the Gambhir Family Trust, who earned her medical degree from UCLA in 1991. “Despite our grief, we believe Sam’s influence will continue through the physician-scientists he inspires and the patients helped by his work.”
University officials noted that the donation highlights the Gambhir family’s deep connection to UCLA and their enduring dedication to strengthening medical education and biomedical research.
