Indianapolis residents Sarah and John Lechleiter and Deborah and Randall Tobias have pledged a \$20 million gift to establish the Tobias-Lechleiter Institute for Clinical Innovation at Indiana University Health. Located at IU Health’s new downtown Indianapolis hospital and across the state, the institute will focus on advancing disease detection and treatment. This donation marks the largest gift in IU Health Foundation’s history and one of the biggest ever shared between the health system and the IU School of Medicine. IU Health will match the gift, doubling the total impact to \$40 million.
IU Health President and CEO Dennis Murphy praised the families’ trust in IU Health and the medical school, saying the gift will give patients early access to life-saving treatments and make the institute a leader in innovative healthcare. The Tobias and Lechleiter families expressed their commitment to improving healthcare for Hoosiers and noted that their gift will help expand clinical trial participation in Indiana, benefiting local patients and those worldwide.
The institute aims to increase patient participation in medical studies, provide access to advanced research resources, attract leading medical professionals, and accelerate research efforts across Indiana. IU Health and IU School of Medicine serve over 1.2 million patients annually with demographics that closely reflect national trends, making their research valuable to the broader life sciences community.
Jay Hess, Dean of IU School of Medicine, called the gift a powerful example of collaboration and a new era in healthcare philanthropy in Indiana. Crystal Miller, President of IU Health Foundation, emphasized the tradition of generosity that has fueled IU Health’s growth and said this gift continues that legacy.
