Campaign Kicks Off for Surgical Suite

Pauley recently unveiled plans for the new Christine B. and David E. Cottrell Surgical Innovation Suite, which will support innovation in cardiac surgery and other interventions. Through a new $5 million fundraising campaign, Pauley is now reaching out to its supporters to make the state-of-the-art lab a reality.

In fall 2017, the Cottrells generously donated $1 million to launch the initiative. VCU hopes to raise an additional $4 million for the 6,000-square-foot lab. The lab will be built on the ninth floor in Sanger Hall in the same lab space of Dr. Richard Lower. He helped develop the techniques for transplanting a human heart and performed the ninth transplant in the United States.

“The new Cottrell Surgical Innovation Suite will offer the space and advanced technologies necessary to usher in preeminent cardiovascular and other surgical research at VCU Health,” said Dr. Vigneshwar Kasirajan. “One of the focus areas for research will be to understand organ preservation further and to improve the number of organs available for transplants. Also, this space will help us train future generations of surgeons.”

One faculty member who will use the new lab is cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Mohammed Quader, who is studying how to improve the viability of hearts procured from donors after circulatory death. The lab will be available to the faculty of all surgical specialties and VCU’s schools of Pharmacy and Engineering for preclinical, translational and other research studies. The site will also provide additional space for students and continuing medical education.

All donations to the campaign are appreciated, and naming opportunities are available for extraordinary levels of support:

$10K – $75K: Donor recognition

$75K – $500K: Named research spaces

$500K – $700K: Surgical space recognition

“We are grateful to Christy and David Cottrell for providing the lead gift for this new venture and invite others to be a part of this exciting campaign,” said Kasirajan.

For more information, contact Carrie Mills at (804) 828-0423.

DR. VIGNESHWAR KASIRAJAN (LEFT) AND DAVID AND CHRISTINE COTTRELL DISCUSS PLANS FOR THE NEW COTTRELL SURGICAL INNOVATION SUITE, TO BE LOCATED IN SANGER HALL.