The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Mourns the Passing of Honorary Board Member and Philanthropist Ann Lurie

The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Ann Lurie, an honorary member of the FNIH Board of Directors and founder of the prestigious Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences.

A distinguished philanthropist and president of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Foundation, Ms. Lurie dedicated herself to supporting medical treatment, research, and education. She and her late husband, Robert, felt that empowering medical research was the best way to positively impact humanity.

This philosophy not only shaped her philanthropic endeavors but also introduced her to the work of the FNIH, joining the Board of Directors in 2009. Ms. Lurie envisioned bringing greater awareness to the FNIH and STEM fields by creating an award to honor promising young scientists. Ms. Lurie aimed to elevate exceptionally talented researchers, which inspired her to establish and fund the Lurie Prize in 2012, an annual award that carries a $100,000 honorarium. In 2023, she committed to sustaining the Lurie Prize for at least another decade.

The FNIH is grateful and honored to have worked with Ms. Lurie to celebrate exceptional scientists. The legacy of her steadfast generosity and commitment to our mission remain an inspiration to us all.