Boston Children’s receives a $35 million donation to accelerate development of therapeutic options for children with brain disorders through the Rosamund Stone Zander and Hansjoerg Wyss Translational

(Press-News.org) BOSTON, October 14, 2025 – Boston Children’s Hospital today announced that it has received a donation of $35 million from Hansjeorg Wyss, through the Wyss Medical Foundation. With this gift, Mr. Wyss builds on advancements made through a transformational gift in 2020 from his late wife, Rosamund Stone Zander.

Because of Ms. Zander’s gift, the Center recruited experts in neurogenetics, medicinal chemistry and gene editing, and leveraged technology across seven cores, including human neuron, genomic medicine, biomarker and human neurobehavioral cores.

The Center works with patient advocacy groups to speed clinical trial readiness for a rapidly growing number of rare and ultra-rare disorders that are often associated with intellectual disability, autism and epilepsy. The newly renamed Rosamund Stone Zander and Hansjeorg Wyss Translational Neuroscience Center will fuel the expansion of a translational and clinical research engine to maximize the number of disorders studied and clinical trials executed. Mr. Wyss’s new gift also will advance early-stage research through support of pilot studies.

By funding fellowships, the gift will equip more clinician-researchers with expertise in running the complex, multisite clinical trials needed to bring new therapies to children. The Center will pilot and disseminate a new training model nationwide.

“With our focus on rare brain disorders, collaboration with other top research institutions, patient advocacy groups and industry partners will be essential to moving from discovery to trial,” said Dr. Mustafa Sahin, Boston Children’s Neurologist-in-Chief and the Center’s Director. “Mr. Wyss’s gift will allow us to supercharge our translational and clinical research capabilities and share our research and training models, building capacity to drive therapeutic development for some of the most vulnerable children.”

“Seeing the tremendous progress made in just five years, I am pleased to accelerate the work that Roz and Dr. Sahin envisioned,” said Mr. Wyss. “I hope others will learn of the impact the team is already making and join me in building this enterprise and expanding the Center’s reach for the benefit of children everywhere who are living with brain disorders.”

 

About Boston Children’s Hospital:

Boston Children’s Hospital is ranked among the best children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and is a pediatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Home to the world’s largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, Boston Children’s has led the way in life-changing pediatric innovation since its founding in 1869. Today, 3,000 researchers and scientific staff, including 14 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 37 members of the National Academy of Medicine and 13 Howard Hughes Medical Investigators across ~1M square feet of lab space comprise the research community. From bench to bedside, scientists work on preventing, treating, and curing diseases that impact both children and adults, no matter how rare or complex the condition. Founded as a 20-bed hospital for children, Boston Children’s is now a 491-bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care. 

With nine satellite locations and the Martha Elliot Health Center, Boston Children’s also provides 24/7 pediatric care at five hospitals including Beverly Hospital, Winchester Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital, South Shore Hospital and Cape Cod Hospital.

Boston Children’s also includes: Affiliation with Franciscan Children’s Hospital, including 112 beds and 700+ employees; Boston Children’s Primary Care Alliance, a robust network of 33 pediatric practices serving patients and families throughout Massachusetts; The Pediatric Physicians’ Organization at Boston Children’s Hospital (PPOC) with more than 400 physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants devoted exclusively to pediatric primary care, in close collaboration with subspecialists at Boston Children’s in more than 90 locations throughout Massachusetts; Boston Children’s Health Physicians (BCHP) which is the largest pediatric multispecialty group in New York's Metropolitan Area, the Hudson Valley, and Connecticut, including nearly 300 clinicians in more than 60 locations.

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About Hansjeorg Wyss 

Hansjeorg Wyss is a philanthropist and conservationist who fell in love with the American landscape and spirit upon moving here nearly half a century ago. Wyss dedicates his philanthropy to advancing research and innovation, conservation, economic opportunity, education, and the arts, driven by a deep commitment to giving back and preserving the best of America for future generations. Learn more about Mr. Wyss’ philanthropic efforts by visiting https://www.wyssfoundation.org/about-hansjorg-wyss.   

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