Presbyterian Health Foundation presents golf tournament proceeds to OMRF

OKLAHOMA CITY, November 23, 2009 – On Thursday, the Presbyterian Health Foundation presented a $10,000 check to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.

The check represented proceeds from the fourth annual Presbyterian Health Foundation/Research Park golf tournament, which was held last month at the Twin Hills Golf and Country Club. The funds will go to support graduate student scholarships at OMRF.

“This is a continuation of our mission statement—to support medical education and research,” said tournament organizer J.R. Caton, vice president of the Presbyterian Health Foundation Research Park. “We value and admire the work OMRF does, and we support their M.D./Ph.D. program.”

For Oklahoma to compete with surrounding states in economic growth, supporting the state’s graduate students is essential.

“Importing or recruiting science professionals is expensive, and it’s a short-term solution to a long-term problem,” he said. “We prefer to invest in Oklahoma kids and Oklahoma institutions to make this state a stronger force in biomedical research.”

In partnership with the University of Oklahoma Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, OMRF’s graduate education programs offer scholarships and mentoring for doctoral students. OMRF currently counts more than 30 Ph.D. and M.D./PhD. students working toward their degrees under the mentorship of OMRF scientists. The students’ work covers a wide spectrum of research areas, from Alzheimer's disease to the development of the immune system.

The Presbyterian Health Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation whose mission is to support medical research in Oklahoma to save and enhance life.

OMRF is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institute dedicated to understanding and developing more effective treatments for human disease. Its scientists focus on such critical research areas as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, lupus and cardiovascular disease.

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