DiMare Endowed Chair Advances ALS Research at the Miller School
The Paul J. DiMare Foundation Endowed Chair in ALS Research recognizes Leonard Petrucelli and strengthens the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s commitment to neuroscience and neurodegenerative disease research.
Key Takeaways
- The Paul J. DiMare Foundation Endowed Chair in ALS Research honors Paul DiMare’s legacy and recognizes Leonard Petrucelli, Ph.D., as its inaugural holder.
- The endowed chair strengthens the Miller School’s investment in ALS, neuroscience and research on neurodegenerative diseases.
- Dr. Petrucelli’s research examines molecular mechanisms involved in ALS and related diseases, including TDP-43 and the C9orf72 gene.
For the late Paul J. DiMare, finding cures for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases was more than a hope. It was a call to action.
Diagnosed with ALS in 2021, the longtime University of Miami supporter devoted his final years to understanding the disease and advancing research that could lead to breakthroughs.
Today, his vision is helping shape the future of neuroscience at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
On October 20, the Miller School celebrated the establishment of the Paul J. DiMare Foundation Endowed Chair in ALS Research, naming Leonard Petrucelli, Ph.D., its inaugural holder. The chair honors Paul DiMare’s legacy and recognizes Dr. Petrucelli’s leadership in neuroscience.
“When Paul spoke about finding cures for ALS and other neurological diseases, it was always urgent, personal and backed by action,” said Dipen J. Parekh, M.D., chief executive officer of UHealth—University of Miami Health System and executive vice president for health affairs at the University of Miami. “This endowed chair reflects a deep belief in the power of science to change lives and a trust in the University of Miami as the place where that science can flourish.”
Carrying Forward Paul DiMare’s Commitment to Discovery
Paul J. DiMare served on the University’s Board of Trustees for 18 years. Together, he and his wife, Swanee, invested more than $32 million in the institution, supporting initiatives including cancer research and an historic $6 million gift to medical student scholarships.
After his diagnosis, the family deepened its investment in neuroscience, carrying forward Paul DiMare’s conviction that philanthropy can accelerate progress against devastating diseases.
“Paul always believed in the power of great institutions to solve hard problems, and ALS was absolutely the hardest,” said Swanee DiMare. “He spent his final years reading, questioning and rallying support, convinced that if the right resources met the right minds, answers were possible.”
For Tony DiMare, their son, the investment reflects a belief that philanthropy should advance science where it can make the greatest difference.
How Endowed Chairs Support Scientific Leadership
Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and executive dean for research at the Miller School, underscored the family’s commitment to exceptional scientists and sustained investment in research.“Paul always told me that the key to success is surrounding yourself with the best people,” said Dr. Nimer. “Paul and Swanee understood that meaningful scientific progress takes time. It requires a long-term commitment to building strong research programs, bringing together talented scientists, and giving them the resources and support they need to pursue important questions. Their investment in people and science reflects a shared belief that great discoveries are possible when we bring the right minds together to tackle the most difficult challenges.”
The Paul J. DiMare Foundation Endowed Chair in ALS Research, builds on the family’s longstanding support of the Miller School, including two cancer immunotherapy chairs at Sylvester held by C. Ola Landgren, M.D., Ph.D., and Jashodeep Datta, M.D. Their philanthropy now extends to neuroscience, helping attract leading scientists and cultivate the next generation of investigators.
“An endowed chair is perhaps the highest honor that the university can bestow upon a faculty member,” said Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., dean and chief academic officer of the Miller School. “It allows our exceptional faculty to pursue bold ideas that can lead to novel clinical interventions to improve the health of humanity.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Paul J. DiMare Foundation Endowed Chair in ALS Research?
It is an endowed faculty position established at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine to honor Paul J. DiMare’s legacy and support leadership in ALS research.
Who is the inaugural holder of the endowed chair?
Leonard Petrucelli, Ph.D., founding director of the Miller School’s Neuroscience Institute and professor in the Department of Neurology, is the chair’s inaugural holder.
What does Dr. Petrucelli study?
His research investigates molecular mechanisms involved in ALS, Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia, including TDP-43 dysfunction and mutations in the C9orf72 gene.
Leonard Petrucelli’s Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases
An internationally recognized leader in ALS, Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia research, Dr. Petrucelli joined the Miller School in 2026 as founding director of its Neuroscience Institute and professor in the Department of Neurology.
He spent more than two decades at Mayo Clinic, ultimately serving as chair of the Department of Neuroscience across its Rochester, Arizona and Jacksonville campuses.
His research has advanced understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, including how the protein TDP-43 malfunctions and damages neurons and how mutations in the C9orf72 gene contribute to ALS and frontotemporal dementia.
This year, he received the Sheila Essey Award for ALS Research for work that has significantly advanced understanding of the disease.
The endowed chair strengthens the Miller School’s investment in neuroscience, aging, immunology and inflammation, giving Dr. Petrucelli the resources to pursue bold ideas and move discoveries toward earlier intervention and more targeted treatments.
Dr. Petrucelli’s arrival is one of many steps stemming from the University’s 2024 pledge of more than $30 million to strengthen basic science in neuroscience and aging, a commitment designed to bring leading scientists to Miami and accelerate discovery in neurodegenerative diseases.
“To do truly meaningful work, you have to be inspired and enabled,” said Dr. Petrucelli. “These types of gifts enable us, myself and my lab, to be creative and to do transformative work.”
Dr. Petrucelli arrived in Miami with a team of more than 15 researchers, including three associate professors and one assistant professor, united by a shared commitment to advancing neuroscience.
He plans to build on that momentum and honor the family whose generosity is helping advance the field.
“I will use these gifts to honor your husband and father and to honor his legacy by doing something truly transformative in ALS research,” he said.
Global neuroscience leaders gathered at the University of Miami to examine how ALS research could inform prevention and treatment.
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The FastTrack ALS Diagnosis Clinic evaluates referred patients within two weeks and connects those with ALS to specialized care.
A $26 million NIH-funded study will search for biomarkers that may predict ALS or frontotemporal dementia before symptoms begin.
Tags: Aging Research, ALS, Alzheimer's disease, Dean Henri Ford, Dr. Dipen Parekh, Dr. Henri Ford, Dr. Leonard Petrucelli, Frontotemporal dementia, Neuroscience Institute