Resneks’ $25 million gift marks turning point in PSC research
When their grandson was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare chronic liver disease, Frank and Barbara Resnek’s global search for experts in the field led them to a highly regarded investigator just a few miles away at the Brigham. The innovative research of Joshua Korzenik, MD, inspired the couple to make a significant gift to establish the Resnek Family Center for PSC Research at the hospital in 2019. Led by Korzenik, the center is a first-of-its-kind research powerhouse dedicated to solving the disease.
In June 2023, the Resneks committed $25 million to expand progress, bringing their total giving to more than $45 million and making them the largest donors to the disease worldwide.
Our family understands the impact of this disease firsthand and we are committed to rapidly bringing better treatment options and outcomes to patients around the world. There is no better partner in this mission than the Brigham.
Affecting approximately 30,000 people in the U.S., PSC disrupts normal liver function and causes cirrhosis and liver failure. The only effective treatment is a liver transplant. Resnek Center clinician-scientists aim to develop much-needed therapies and ultimately a cure by exploring strategies ranging from dietary interventions to existing drugs approved for other uses to novel therapies.
“In just four years, we’ve made remarkable strides in better understanding PSC, moving potential therapies into clinical trials, and partnering with researchers around the globe to move the entire field forward,” says Korzenik, the Resnek Family Distinguished Chair in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Brigham.
“Up to this point, PSC was an inadequately studied disease,” Korzenik adds. “The Resneks changed that, enabling us to focus on PSC in a comprehensive way.”
The Resneks’ philanthropy will allow Korzenik and his team to pursue multiple areas of research simultaneously and apply findings to other liver diseases and conditions linked to PSC, like ulcerative colitis.
“This is a real turning point for PSC research,” says Robert S.D. Higgins, MD, MSHA, president of the Brigham, executive vice president of Mass General Brigham, and the Nabel Family Professor of Surgery. “We’re proud to be home of the Resnek Center—now an international hub for PSC research—and are incredibly grateful the Resneks entrusted the Brigham with their vision for changing the course of this disease.”