The Dr. Miriam & Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation concentrates almost all of its funding on biomedical and cancer research at leading academic and research medical centers. Grants are large, targeted awards to established institutions and centers of excellence (often supporting specific medical research programs or labs), indicating a preference for high-impact, translational science rather than community service or small operating support. The foundation repeatedly funds the same top universities and cancer centers, suggesting long-term investments in institutional research capacity and major projects in oncology and genomics.
The Dr Miriam & Sheldon G Adelson Medical Research Foundation’s recent awards are dominated by multimillion-dollar gifts to academic medical centers for medical research, with University of California Los Angeles receiving the largest listed grant at $4,982,102 in 2025. The pattern is institutionally focused: the foundation directs major support to established hospitals, cancer institutes, and research universities rather than to individuals or small community groups. In the recent-grants list, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, The Broad Institute, and the University of California system all appear as recipients, showing a preference for large research organizations with depth in biomedical science. Several awards go to cancer-focused centers, while others support broader translational and genomics-oriented work at major universities and institutes. The foundation’s own program structure also points to a research-driven model, including investigator grants that invite selected scientists into collaborative, disease-agnostic projects. Alongside its medical research activity, the foundation also maintains program areas in Holocaust remembrance and anti-Semitism awareness, welfare, Israel programs, Israel advocacy, and Jewish and Zionist identity & education.
Medical research is the clearest throughline. The foundation gave $3,353,535 in 2025 to MD Anderson Cancer Center for medical research, and $2,936,328 in 2025 to Dana Farber Cancer Institute for the same purpose. It also supported translational and collaborative science through awards to institutions such as The Broad Institute and Johns Hopkins University, consistent with a model that favors large research teams and established labs. Its grantmaking is not limited to one disease area. Grants also went to the University of Southern California and the University of California Los Angeles for medical research, showing support across major academic medical centers. Outside the research portfolio, the foundation funds Holocaust and Anti-Semitism Awareness, Welfare, Israel Programs, Israel Advocacy, Social Services and Health, and Jewish and Zionist Identity & Education through separate program areas.
$40.8M
$714K
$42.1M
$42.8M
Most grants fall between $368K and $1.3M, with a median of $512K.
25th Percentile
$368K
Median
$512K
75th Percentile
$1.3M
About 21% of grants go to recipients in MA.
Top 4 recipient countries by grant volume for Dr Miriam & Sheldon G Adelson Medical Research Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 64 | $67.8M | 85.3% |
| 2 | Israel | 6 |
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Highly concentrated giving: a small number of very large grants, often repeated to the same elite research institutions; funds tend to support programmatic/ research projects rather than general operating or grassroots organizations.
Notable grantees: University of California, Los Angeles, Johns Hopkins University, MD Anderson Cancer Center, The Broad Institute, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Typical grant sizes are substantial: the p25 is $367,700, the median is $511,548, and the p75 is $1,284,980. That distribution matches a model built around large institutional awards rather than many small grants. The recent-grants list also shows repeat support to the same organizations across multiple years, including University of California Los Angeles, Johns Hopkins University, The Broad Institute, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Oregon Health and Science University. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Its medical research programs are invitation-based and collaborative rather than open solicitation.
Most grants go to recipients in the United States, which account for 64 grants, or 85.3% of the recent list. Massachusetts is the top state by grant count, and 21% of grants go to recipients there, including organizations in Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge. Outside the U.S., the recent-grants list includes recipients in Israel, the United Kingdom, and Germany; named locations include Rehovot, Jerusalem, Haifa, London, and one grant to an institution in Germany (GM). The map of giving reflects a national U.S. footprint with concentrated institutional clusters in California, Massachusetts, and Maryland.
It mainly funds medical research organizations, especially universities, cancer centers, and clinical research institutions. The recent-grants list includes awards to University of California Los Angeles, Johns Hopkins University, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, The Broad Institute, and MD Anderson Cancer Center, all for medical research.
The grant-size distribution is high-dollar: p25 is $367,700, median grant size is $511,548, and p75 is $1,284,980. Recent awards also reach into the multimillion-dollar range, which fits a strategy centered on major institutional research support.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including University of California Los Angeles in 2023 and 2025, Johns Hopkins University in 2023 and 2025, The Broad Institute in 2023 and 2025, and MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2023 and 2025.
The United States receives the overwhelming majority, with 64 grants or 85.3% of the recent list. Israel is the next most common destination with 6 grants, followed by Germany with 3 and the United Kingdom with 2.
For the medical research programs listed, the process is invitation-based: the AMRF Investigator Grants and the Investigator / Collaborative Research Program identify and invite investigators to develop collaborative projects, and both are marked as not accepting unsolicited applications.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| $5.5M |
8.0% |
| 3 | Germany | 3 | $988K | 4.0% |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 2 | $972K | 2.7% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $4,982,102 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $3,353,535 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $3,133,485 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BROOKLINE, MA | $2,936,328 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| THE BROAD INSTITUTE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $2,655,976 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SF | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,491,738 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| ST JOHNS CANCER INSTITUTE | SANTA MONICA, CA | $1,773,025 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,599,745 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE | REHOVOT | $1,505,877 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY | PORTLAND, OR | $1,494,586 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $1,252,596 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| CEDARS SINAI | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,200,022 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TRUST | BOSTON, MA | $936,387 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF LONDON | LONDON | $800,888 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM | JERUSALEM | $767,849 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $765,687 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY | TEL AVIV | $752,010 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| H LEE MOFFITT CANCER CENTER | TAMPA, FL | $750,848 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER | ROCHESTER, NY | $699,447 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| HADASSAH HEBREW UNIVERSITY | JERUSALEM | $648,625 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL | BOSTON, MA | $483,587 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| THE WISTAR INSTITUTE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $453,406 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO | LA JOLLA, CA | $425,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| SOUTH CAROLINA RESEARCH FOUNDATION | COLUMBIA, SC | $402,106 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | ANN ARBOR, MI | $396,777 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $377,004 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $375,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| THE WINIFRED MASTERSON BURKE NEUROLOGICAL INSTITUTE | WHITE PLAINS, NY | $375,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $366,717 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH | BETHESDA, MD | $349,960 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| DZNE MUNICH | BONN | $342,666 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| TECHNION ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | HAIFA | $338,500 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE | GOTTINGEN | $334,501 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | HOUSTON, TX | $311,889 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| LEIPZIG UNIVERSITY | LEIPZIG | $311,145 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SCHOOL | WORCESTER, MA | $306,789 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | CHICAGO, IL | $182,945 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE | CAMBRIDGE | $170,934 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $3,991,976 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $3,128,511 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| THE BROAD INSTITUTE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $2,554,391 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SF | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,456,003 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $2,161,210 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BROOKLINE, MA | $1,655,985 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE | REHOVOT | $1,498,113 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| ST JOHNS CANCER INSTITUTE | SANTA MONICA, CA | $1,446,371 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $1,297,426 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,284,980 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TRUST | BOSTON, MA | $1,159,997 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY | PORTLAND, OR | $1,126,313 | 2023 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
$4,982,102MEDICAL RESEARCH
MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$3,353,535MEDICAL RESEARCH
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
$3,133,485MEDICAL RESEARCH
DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE
$2,936,328MEDICAL RESEARCH
THE BROAD INSTITUTE
$2,655,976MEDICAL RESEARCH
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SF
$2,491,738MEDICAL RESEARCH
ST JOHNS CANCER INSTITUTE
$1,773,025MEDICAL RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
$1,599,745MEDICAL RESEARCH
WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
$1,505,877MEDICAL RESEARCH
OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
$1,494,586MEDICAL RESEARCH
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
$1,252,596MEDICAL RESEARCH
CEDARS SINAI
$1,200,022MEDICAL RESEARCH
BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TRUST
$936,387MEDICAL RESEARCH
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF LONDON
$800,888MEDICAL RESEARCH
HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM
$767,849MEDICAL RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$765,687MEDICAL RESEARCH
TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY
$752,010MEDICAL RESEARCH
H LEE MOFFITT CANCER CENTER
$750,848MEDICAL RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
$699,447MEDICAL RESEARCH
HADASSAH HEBREW UNIVERSITY
$648,625MEDICAL RESEARCH
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
$483,587MEDICAL RESEARCH
THE WISTAR INSTITUTE
$453,406MEDICAL RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
$425,000MEDICAL RESEARCH
SOUTH CAROLINA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$402,106MEDICAL RESEARCH
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$396,777MEDICAL RESEARCH
DUKE UNIVERSITY
$377,004MEDICAL RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
$375,000MEDICAL RESEARCH
THE WINIFRED MASTERSON BURKE NEUROLOGICAL INSTITUTE
$375,000MEDICAL RESEARCH
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY
$366,717MEDICAL RESEARCH
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH
$349,960MEDICAL RESEARCH
DZNE MUNICH
$342,666MEDICAL RESEARCH
TECHNION ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
$338,500MEDICAL RESEARCH
MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE
$334,501MEDICAL RESEARCH
BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
$311,889MEDICAL RESEARCH
LEIPZIG UNIVERSITY
$311,145MEDICAL RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SCHOOL
$306,789MEDICAL RESEARCH
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
$182,945MEDICAL RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
$170,934MEDICAL RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
$3,991,976MEDICAL RESEARCH
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
$3,128,511MEDICAL RESEARCH
THE BROAD INSTITUTE
$2,554,391MEDICAL RESEARCH
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SF
$2,456,003MEDICAL RESEARCH
MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$2,161,210MEDICAL RESEARCH
DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE
$1,655,985MEDICAL RESEARCH
WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
$1,498,113MEDICAL RESEARCH
ST JOHNS CANCER INSTITUTE
$1,446,371MEDICAL RESEARCH
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
$1,297,426MEDICAL RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
$1,284,980MEDICAL RESEARCH
BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TRUST
$1,159,997MEDICAL RESEARCH
OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
$1,126,313MEDICAL RESEARCH