Tony-Winner David Rockwell to Be Honored By NYSCF As Part Of First Ever Virtual Gala

Hosted by CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta, MD and featuring appearances from world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Martha Stewart, actors Kelli O'Hara, John Lithgow, Lilli Cooper, Billy Porter and John Slattery and Seth Rogen, among others,

The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute's first-ever virtual gala will stream online on the evening of October 27th.

Under the theme "Show Up for Science," the program will re-imagine the Science Fair, a signature element of NYSCF's traditional gala at which guests meet and talk with NYSCF Research Institute scientists, turning it into an online experience as special celebrity guests like Victor Garber, Jane Krakowski, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson interview scientists and learn about the latest updates and breakthroughs in stem cell research. The Gala will bring the world of the NYSCF Research Institute laboratories to life, this year in a multi-platform digital experience produced by Broadway Director Scott Ellis with Music by Tree Adams and Andrew Schuyler.

The Gala also honors the three 2020 NYSCF Stem Cell Heroes: internationally renowned architect Frank Gehry; bioethicist and patient advocate Brooke Ellison, PhD, and award-winning architect and designer David Rockwell.

The 2020 NYSCF Research Institute Gala and Science Fair experience will also include NASA astronauts Serena Auñón-Chancellor, MD, PhD, and Peggy Whitson, PhD, talking about stem cell research in space and about what this can mean for stem cell research. In actor Victor Garber's segment, he will talk with NYSCF Senior Vice President of Research Scott Noggle, PhD, on how stem cells can help find a cure for diabetes, while actress Jane Krakowski will discuss the basics of stem cells and how they are being used to study and fight COVID-19 with NYSCF Vice President, Automation Systems & Stem Cell Biology Daniel Paull, PhD.

The program will also include actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson speaking with NYSCF Principal Investigator Laura Andres-Martin, PhD, about NYSCF's new cutting-edge research on women's reproductive cancers, and NYSCF scientists Howard Kim, PhD, and Cecile Terrenoire, PhD will also share an update on NYSCF's macular degeneration stem cell therapy,

The 75-minute program will focus on education about science, using entertainment as a means to help viewers understand scientific concepts. It will also feature a short performance in honor of Frank Gehry by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and a comedy skit by actors Santino Fontana and Annaleigh Ashford.

David Rockwell is the founder and President of the Rockwell Group, an interdisciplinary and innovative architecture and design firm based in New York with offices in Los Angeles and Madrid, with work that ranges from restaurant and hotel design to public spaces, theaters, and stage sets. David conceptualized the first Science Fair at a NYSCF Gala, and for many years he designed the environment that simulates the NYSCF Research Institute Laboratories and allows benefit guests to meet and mingle with NYSCF scientists. He has received numerous awards and recognition for his groundbreaking work, including a Tony Award in 2016 for set design, and NYSCF is honored to recognize his dedication, creativity, and talent for making cutting-edge science come alive each fall.

"Scientific research is more important than ever, particularly now in the midst of a global pandemic," stated NYSCF Research Institute CEO and Founder Susan L. Solomon. "I am thrilled that we are able to bring our research to life through this digital medium, and to honor our three incredible stem cell heroes. Private philanthropy is the fuel that drives our scientific success, and the Gala and Science Fair celebration highlight both the importance of our work and the promise of stem cell research around the world."