Rockefeller University is a private research university with a focus on biomedical and scientific research, founded in 1891 by John D. Rockefeller. The university has an endowment of $3.5 billion as of June 2019, making it one of the wealthiest universities in the United States. It is also one of the nation’s oldest centers for biomedical research and education.
Rockefeller University has played a significant role in some of the major achievements in modern medicine and biology, including the discovery of vitamins A, B12, and C; the identification of hormones such as testosterone and estrogen; elucidation of cell mechanisms like DNA replication; development of new drugs such as insulin and penicillin; and important contributions to cancer research. The university also houses various specialized institutes devoted to specific areas of biomedical science, including The Rockefeller Hospital (now known as Rockefeller University Hospital), which was ranked among the top hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report in 2019-20.
Noted alumni and faculty of Rockefeller University include Nobel laureates Richard Axel, Gerald Edelman, James Peebles, Torsten Wiesel, David Baltimore, Renato Dulbecco, George Waldrip Jr., Joshua Lederberg; Pulitzer Prize winners Rudolph Virchow Jr., Lewis Thomas; National Academy members Harold Varmus, Eric Kandel; Fields Medalists Charles Feffermannancial officer at Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., Gregory Margulis mathematician at Yale University.; MacArthur Fellows Cynthia Kenyon molecular biologist at UCSF,, Bruce Beutler immunologist/geneticist at UT Southwestern Medical Center,, Carol Greider biologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,, Andrew Fire geneticist at Stanford School of Medicine,, Pamela O’Toole biochemist/genome researcher at JHU SoM Med Campus;; Lasker Award winners Paul Zamecnik pioneer in RNA interference therapy,, Craig Mello Nobel laureate geneticist/molecular biologist;; Gairdner Foundation International Award winners Huda Zoghbi neurologist/geneticist at Baylor College of Medicine,, Nancy Wexler neuropsychiatrist/epidemiologist;; Breakthrough Prize winners Titia de Lange cell biologist at Rockefeller University .
Now president: Marc Tessier-Lavigne – previously presidentof Stanford