Episode 5 brings the extraordinary tale of biomedical scientist and philanthropist, Dr. Jan T. Vilcek. Dr. Vilcek and his wife, art historian Marica Vilcek, arrived in the United States as refugees from the former communist Czechoslovakia in 1965. In New York, Dr. Vilcek joined the faculty of NYU School of Medicine as a research professor. His work on cytokines – and specifically on Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF), were instrumental in the development of the first member of a new class of therapeutics called TNF blockers.
Dr. Vilcek’s contributions to the development of TNF blockers revolutionized the treatment of autoimmune disorders. The success of treatments like Remicade® have generated significant royalties, which enabled Dr. and Mrs. Vilcek to establish the Vilcek Foundation in 2000. The Vilcek Foundation is a nonprofit private operating foundation; the mission of the foundation is to raise awareness of immigrant contributions in the United States and foster appreciation of the arts and sciences. To date, the Vilcek Foundation has awarded more than 11 million dollars in prizes and grants.
Love and Science Book: https://vilcek.co/loveandscience-acpodcast
Vilcek Foundation: https://vilcek.org