The Gerstner Family Foundation

The Gerstner Family Foundation is sponsored by The Gerstner Family Foundation. Supports basic and translational biomedical research, access to excellent education for K-12 students, and organizations assisting individuals facing temporary setbacks.

Welcome | Gerstner Family Foundation PHOTO CREDIT: Kris Snibbe/Harvard Public Affairs & Communications PHOTO CREDIT: Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School PHOTO CREDIT: Jamaal Dozier (via Good Shepherd Services) Gerstner Philanthropies focuses on biomedical research, educational opportunities, environmental sustainability, and assistance for people who have suffered a temporary setback and could use a “helping hand” to restore their equilibrium.

Our funding falls into two categories: supporting important genomic research that could lead to breakthroughs in clinical practice; and enabling talented young scientists to pursue a career in research. Our program focuses on supporting research on reducing methane emissions to address climate change and developing solutions to tackle plastic pollution.

Our work supports students who have talent and determination but whose opportunity to excel is limited because of their economic circumstances. Our program provides assistance for people experiencing an unforeseen emergency through one-time cash grants.

Learn more about our chairman's grants FIND OUT ABOUT OUR IMPACT & APPROACH MSK Honors Graduates at 2026 Convocation and GSK Commencement Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center held its Academic Convocation and Commencement on May 13, 2026, celebrating new graduates and award winners.

This year, 15 students earned doctoral degrees from the Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSK), alongside graduates from MSK’s clinical and translational research programs. During the ceremony, MSK leaders also honored our late Chairman Louis V. Gerstner, Jr., for his role in establishing GSK.

“Over nearly four decades of service as a trustee on the MSK boards, Lou helped shape our long-term vision, demonstrating how sustained leadership and philanthropy can advance science, educate future leaders, and bring an institution closer to its goals of ending cancer for life,” said President and CEO Dr. Selwyn Vickers.

“Today, [GSK] continues to embody his conviction that scientific excellence is strengthened by a deep commitment to the people behind it. ” Congratulations to the 2026 graduates on their achievements.

Bioengineering a world beyond plastics: Spotlight on SPEEDR At the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Dr. Peter Nguyen and his team are advancing SPEEDR, an innovative approach to building circularity into plastic life cycles. SPEEDR focuses on engineering microbes that can both degrade commonly used PET plastics and convert the resulting materials into PHB, a fully compostable bioplastic.

Using a machine learning-guided enzyme engineering approach rooted in synthetic biology, the team is developing a system in which plastics can be repeatedly broken down and rebuilt. The Wyss Institute recently spotlighted this work, underscoring its potential to create a novel circular plastic lifecycle.

Gerstner Philanthropies’ support of Dr. Nguyen’s research reflects our commitment to advancing scalable, science-driven solutions to address plastic pollution. Reflections on Helping Hands Lou Gerstner shares the origin of and his vision for the emergency grants program, lessons learned over the past decade, and his belief in the critical importance of the work.