LOS ANGELES, May 15, 2009 — Building on its longstanding support of City of Hope, the law firm of Irell & Manella LLP has committed $7 million in gifts to support City of Hope’s Graduate School of Biological Sciences. A $5 million gift from the firm, matched by a $5 million anonymous gift, will rename the school as the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences.  Another $2 million from the firm will create the Irell & Manella Visiting Professorship.

Established in 1994, City of Hope’s Graduate School of Biological Sciences trains students in the fields of chemical, molecular and cellular biology as well as bioinformatics and genetics. Students have a unique opportunity to conduct translational research, collaborating with scientists and physicians to develop promising new therapies for cancer and other life-threatening diseases.  Graduates of the program are awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in biological sciences. Alumni have gone on to positions at major universities, research institutions and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

“These very generous gifts will help take City of Hope’s graduate school to the next level of academic excellence,” said Michael A. Friedman, M.D., president and chief executive officer, City of Hope.  “Alumni of our graduate school contribute a great deal to the scientific community and to our efforts to improve treatments for people with life-threatening diseases. We are grateful to Irell & Manella for helping to enhance City of Hope’s research and teaching efforts.”

“This is a tremendous recognition of City of Hope’s graduate program and our commitment to ensure that our students and faculty remain at the forefront of biomedical research,” said John Rossi, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School of Biological Sciences and the Lidow Family Research Chair. “These monumental gifts will enable City of Hope to attract and train future generations of talented researchers.”

Irell & Manella are longtime supporters of City of Hope. Past gifts from the law firm established a symposium, the Irell & Manella Leading-Edge Lecture Fund, and supported the graduate school’s endowment. 

Irell & Manella was founded in 1941 and was ranked in 2008 in the top 10 percent of the Blue Chip Index and Growth Index of The American Lawyer. Chambers & Partners, publishers of the world-famous legal guides, named Irell & Manella the “U.S. Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year” in 2006 and recognized the firm nationally in its 2007 and 2008 top-tier rankings of intellectual property firms in the U.S.

“Our firm is pleased to support City of Hope’s graduate school,” said Morgan Chu, partner, Irell & Manella. “The school has an outstanding faculty and a tradition of scientific inquiry and collaborative research, which is critically important to the future of health care and patients who face a life-threatening disease.”