KANNAPOLIS, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--David H. Murdock, owner and Chairman of Dole Food Company and builder and founder of the North Carolina Research Campus (NCRC), announced today that he is committing a $15 million annual gift in perpetuity to the David H. Murdock Research Institute (DHMRI). DHMRI is located on the North Carolina Research Campus (NCRC) in Kannapolis, NC, outside of Charlotte.
The funds will be used to attract world-class scientific leadership to the Institute and advance research programs in human health, nutrition and agriculture.
“In order to make this Institute the size and the quality and the success that I want to see it, I am making, in perpetuity, a contribution of $15 million a year . . . to the core lab and will continue to watch and see the needs of this Institution, financially, as we build it into the biggest and best in the world,” Murdock stated. “I am searching the world over, particularly though the United States, (for) a great leader to head this Institute.”
“I hope people realize this gift will equal over $500 million in just over 30 years,” commented Lynne Scott Safrit, president of the NCRC and Castle & Cooke, North Carolina, “and it all goes to helping people eat healthier, live longer and prevent diseases like cancer, diabetes and obesity.”
“The NC Research Campus is one of our 16 universities,” said Chris Brown, PhD, the University of North Carolina System vice president for research and graduate education. Seven UNC schools have research programs at the NCRC alongside side corporate partners. “This gift will move DHMRI forward and that benefits our campuses and enhances our partnership with DHMRI.”
About DHMRI and the NCRC
Murdock opened the not-for-profit DHMRI as the core laboratory facility for the NCRC in 2008. The Institute offers a broad range of advanced technologies to NCRC partners and corporate, academic, non-profit and government collaborators around the world. DHMRI is the flagship institute of the NCRC, which was founded by Murdock in 2005. The NCRC is home to 20 academic, industry, technology and healthcare partners all focused on research advancing human health, nutrition and agriculture. Murdock’s personal investment in the campus exceeds $800 million. For more information, visit www.dhmri.org or www.ncresearchcampus.net.
