The Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope will award the City of Hope Board of Governors with an honorary degree for their generosity and forward-thinking vision.
DUARTE, Calif. — Eight students will graduate from the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope on June 7.
Over the past four years, City of Hope has afforded these eight students the unique opportunity to receive close mentorship from scientists and physicians who are developing promising new therapies for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. The students will graduate with doctorate degrees and authorship in important studies ranging from survival of microbes in outer space (a collaboration with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory) to cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of solid tumors, currently one of the most sought-after fields in oncology research. Alumni have gone on to positions at major universities, research institutions, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
The commencement ceremony will take place on Friday, June 7, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at City of Hope’s Rose Garden at 1500 E. Duarte Road in Duarte, California.
Bruce Sullenger, Ph.D., a leader in developing RNA therapeutics from Duke University School of Medicine, will be the keynote speaker. He holds 22 issued U.S. patents and over 50 issued foreign patents and is founder of four biotechnology companies, two of which completed initial public offerings.
The City of Hope Board of Governors, an active group of leaders from business, public life and the community who raise research funds for City of Hope, will be presented with an honorary degree from the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences. Robert S. Marx, an insurance executive and chair of the City of Hope Board of Governors, and Susanne M. Reyto, an accomplished author and immediate past chair of the City of Hope Board of Governors, will accept the honor on behalf of the group. Over the past 25 years, this visionary, forward-thinking coterie has raised millions of research dollars to advance new therapies and cures for patients. Their efforts have had a transformative impact on City of Hope.
Some 166 people have graduated from the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, which opened 25 years ago in 1994. This year, four members of the graduating class were originally from China and Taiwan, demonstrating the strong relationship City of Hope has built with academic institutions, hospitals, private companies and other groups in Asia through its Center for International Medicine. City of Hope welcomes the opportunity to collaborate and extend the City of Hope model of care and research outside of the United States.
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About City of Hope
City of Hope is an independent biomedical research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy such as CAR T cell therapy. City of Hope’s translational research and personalized treatment protocols advance care throughout the world. Human synthetic insulin and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs are based on technology developed at the institution. A National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope is ranked one of America's "Best Hospitals" in cancer by U.S. News & World Report. Its main campus is located near Los Angeles, with additional locations throughout Southern California. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.