research champion
Together in the fight against cancer
From pioneering pediatric therapies to building bioinformatics infrastructure and supporting Purdue’s leadership, Walther’s investments have shaped nearly every corner of the institute’s progress. Their generosity continues to accelerate discovery, connect institutions, and bring life-saving research closer to real-world impact.
Catalyzing bold science through extraordinary support
A private grant-making foundation based in Indianapolis, the Walther Cancer Foundation has invested more than $200 million in cancer-focused research, including $33.23 million in support of the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (PICR) since 2007.
The Walther Cancer Foundation provides funding to Indiana’s three cancer research centers: PICR, the Harper Cancer Research Institute at Notre Dame and IU Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center at Indiana University. Support to Purdue has included a $10 million matching gift launched in November 2017 to double all non-capital giving to the PICR, which the institute raised in just three years. Walther followed with a $5.5 million gift in May 2020 to establish a bioinformatics matching program shared between Purdue and Indiana University, and a $5 million gift in March 2022 to create Andrew Mesecar‘s director fund.
The Walther endowment was established by Purdue University in June 2019. Distributions from this endowment provide unrestricted support for PICR as it advances research in drug discovery, treatments and potential cures.
Transformative support for cancer research
Advancing Safer Treatments for Pediatric Brain Cancer
Support from the Walther Cancer Foundation has advanced numerous high-impact research efforts at the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research. One such project, led by Andrea Kasinski and Philip Low, focused on developing a non-toxic therapeutic approach for treating pediatric medulloblastoma—a devastating brain cancer that claims the lives of approximately 30% of children diagnosed with the disease.
Tackling drug resistance in aggressive cancers
Walther funding has also supported a wide range of investigations into drug resistance and treatment strategies for aggressive cancers. PICR investigators Sandro Matosevic, Elizabeth Tran, Ourania Andrisani (now emerita), Majid Kazemian and Matthew Olson have explored new ways to overcome drug resistance and develop therapies to make small cell lung carcinoma more responsive to targeted drugs and immunotherapies.
Powering a bioinformatics infrastructure
In addition, the Walther Cancer Foundation has provided critical operational support for the Collaborative Core for Cancer Bioinformatics, a joint effort between PICR and the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. The initiative aims to integrate large-scale molecular data to accelerate progress in cancer discovery, drug development, precision medicine and workforce training.
Investing in the next generation of cancer researchers
The foundation’s support extends to student research as well, including the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, which gives Purdue students the opportunity to conduct hands-on, faculty-mentored cancer research during the summer months. The award helps cultivate the next generation of scientists and strengthen the future of cancer research.
Mesecar PICR directorship supported with $5 million Walther gift
In 2022, the Walther Cancer Foundation committed $5 million to establish the Director’s Fund at the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research, providing critical support for faculty recruitment, advanced research equipment, and expansion of programs such as the Tyler Trent Pediatric Cancer Research Center. The generous gift coincided with the appointment of Andrew Mesecar, a longtime PICR leader and renowned structural biologist, as the institute’s Robert Wallace Miller Director. The Walther Cancer Foundation’s investment continues to strengthen the PICR’s role as a National Cancer Institute-designated basic laboratory cancer center—one of only seven in the U.S.—and reinforces a shared commitment to advancing research, saving lives and offering hope to those affected by cancer.
Walther Cancer Foundation history
Dr. Joseph E. Walther, a proud Indiana native and physician, devoted his life to advancing cancer research after losing his wife, Mary Margaret, to colon cancer. A decorated U.S. Air Force veteran and founder of the not-for-profit Winona Memorial Hospital in Indianapolis, he turned personal loss into purpose. In 1985, Walther sold the hospital and established the Walther Cancer Institute, a medical research organization. That vision expanded in 2007 when the Institute merged into the Walther Cancer Foundation, a private grant-making organization committed to supporting not only basic research, but also clinical studies, behavioral science, and patient-centered care.
Dr. Walther believed that understanding and overcoming cancer requires a broad, human-focused approach—one that continues to shape the Foundation’s mission today.
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