Jewish Hospital Foundation created this distinguished chair in transplantation research, which was matched by the state Research Challenge Trust Fund, during the university's bicentennial campaign. The chair studies new therapeutic strategies to reduce the risks of organ transplantation.

Jewish Hospital Foundation was a principal contributor to the bicentennial campaign, providing funds for the Donald E. Baxter Biomedical Research Building and numerous clinical and research programs in the School of Medicine.

Founded in 1905, Jewish Hospital has long been a partner with the School of Medicine. In 2001, U of L surgeons led a Jewish Hospital clinical team that performed the world's first two implants of the AbioCor self-contained artificial heart.