LEONARD TOW

TOW--Leonard. Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons celebrates the life and mourns the passing of our friend and benefactor Leonard Tow whose innovative philanthropy and vision have been indispensable to our work in the neurosciences, and across our medical center. His extraordinary generosity established our Claire Tow Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, the cornerstone of our research on spinal muscular atrophy, GLUT1 deficiency syndrome, other neurodegenerative disorders, and on the restoration of motor function in patients who have sustained spinal cord injuries. He also established the Claire Tow Professorship in Motor Neuron Disorders in memory of his late wife, and was tremendously generous to Columbia's Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center. His thoughtful support challenged us to move forward big ideas and recruit and retain the best talent to help achieve our shared goals. He also established the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, which recognizes graduating medical students and medical school faculty members around the country who are exemplars of humanism in the care of patients and families. We are honored that the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons has been well represented by these awards. Most recently, through the Tow Foundation, he had been central in the construction of the new Vagelos Innovation Laboratories, our state-of-the-art biomedical research building, where we will name the Tow Foundation Research Network in recognition of his tremendous support. He also supported fellows in our Seymour, Paul and Gloria Milstein Division of Cardiology, helping us to recruit and train the next generations of cardiologists. We are honored and humbled to have our name forever associated with his, and to carry forward a part of his remarkable legacy. We will miss his kindness, empathy, and compassion. We offer our condolences to his three children, Andrew, Emily, and Frank; his grandchildren; his extended family and friends, and all who were fortunate enough to know him. P. Roy Vagelos, MD Katrina Armstrong, MD James McKiernan, MD Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons