School Notes: School of Medicine
January/February 2026

MBB professor appointed to named position

Wendy V. Gilbert, whose research focuses on regulatory elements in mRNA that control the cellular expression of the information stored in genetic code, was recently appointed the Maxine F. Singer ’57PhD Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. Gilbert, who has appointments in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Yale School of Medicine, joined Yale in 2017, having previously held a faculty position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her current projects, revealing the function of mRNA biogenesis, translation, and decay, have the potential to transform RNA therapeutics and help determine the biological roots of many cancers and diseases. In recognition of her scholarly contributions to her field, she received the RNA Society Early Career Award in 2017 and the American Cancer Society Research Scholar Award in 2014. She is also valued as an outstanding teacher and mentor who works to create pathways to science for people from all backgrounds.

Gift will fund research on pancreatic cancer

Daniel M. Koenigsberg, YC ’62, vividly remembers the compassionate care his late wife, Susan, received at Smilow Cancer Hospital while being treated for pancreatic cancer. He recognized this extraordinary patient care delivery by gifting $1 million to Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital. 

Koenigsberg’s philanthropy establishes an endowment that focuses on pancreatic cancer research. The fund will enhance multiple initiatives, including seed grants for pilot projects, the establishment of a fellowship in gastrointestinal cancers, the creation of a biorepository for tissue samples, and an annual lectureship. It will also provide support for faculty research endeavors and help to ensure sustained support for future initiatives. 

The inaugural Dr. Daniel and Susan Koenigsberg Pancreatic Cancer Research Lecture series was launched on September 16, 2025, with a visiting professor from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine addressing the role of vaccines in anti-tumor immune responses.