About

The Iris and Junming Le Foundation was founded in 2006 to further health initiatives in research and patient care. The Le Foundation believes that providing support to medical professionals engaged in research guarantees the sustained pursuit of innovation that leads to wide-ranging improvements in health. Furthermore, involving future generations and instilling a passion for medical discovery secures the development of new researchers armed to solve the problems of tomorrow.

Funding for The Le Foundation is mainly provided by a royalty stream from the invention of Remicade in 1989 by Dr. Junming Le, Adjunct Associate Professor of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine. Remicade is a new class of medicine effectively treating a number of autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, and is currently manufactured and marketed by Johnson & Johnson and Merck. Additionally, The Le Foundation actively seeks various investment opportunities, such as real estate and acquisitions, in order to enhance its diversified financial portfolio. In addition, The Le Foundation supports various arts and humanitarian initiatives.

 

Major Programs

The Iris and Junming Le Foundation has been involved with the following programs:

  • Orthopedic Senior Resident Research Award at Hospital for Joint Diseases
    • An endowment was created to annually award a resident in the Orthopedic Department who exhibits exemplary research commitment and skill.

  • Donation to International Health Program at NYU School of Medicine
    • Provided financial assistance for students to travel abroad and participate in clinical or basic research, public health initiatives, or clinical education programs.

  • Curriculum for the C21 Initiative of NYU School of Medicine
    • The Le Foundation supported Online Database Literature as part of the Curriculum for the 21st Century initiative.

  • Le Foundation Neuroimaging Research Grants at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine
    • The Le Foundation provided a two-year grant for neuroimaging research conducted by young scientists at the Department of Psychiatry.

  • Le Foundation Fellowship Grant for Translational Oncology Research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
    • A two-year grant was provided to fund research by HOPP program fellows.

  • Purchase of Boca Raton Regional Hospital ScanScope
    • The Le Foundation purchased a cutting-edge ScanScope that will allow cooperations between doctors in virtual diagnosis on pathological slides and sharing medical information.

  • Le Foundation Pilot Grants Program at Rockefeller University
    • The Le Foundation funded about a dozen 1-year grants of beginning-stage studies in translational science that might lead to improvements in human health.

  • Purchase of Boca Raton Regional Hospital Endoscopic Ultrasound
    • The Le Foundation purchased a cutting-edge Endoscopic Ultrasound that will expand the capacity of the Lynn Cancer Institute to provide ultrasound, biopsy, and therapeutic interventions with hepatobiliary disease.

  • Purchase of New York Hospital Queens Digital Portable X Ray Machine
    • The Le Foundation purchased an innovative Portable Imaging machine that allows digital X Rays to be taken bedside and to be viewed immediately on the console for physicians to review.

  • Support for New York Public Radio Medical Science and Research Reporting
    • The Le Foundation provided financial support to the radio station's new health project initiative.

  • Support for The Research Coop at Mount Sinai Health System
    • The Le Foundation enabled The Research Coop, a platform for matching research projects to researchers, to launch at the Mount Sinai Health System.

  • Donation of a Zeiss Super-Resolution Microscope to Scripps Institute of Florida
    • The Le Foundation provided financial support to the Department of Neuroscience at Scripps to purchase a Zeiss ELYRA PS.1 SYSTEM for SIM and 3D PALM.

  • Grant to the Global Mental Health Program at Mt. Sinai
    • The Le Foundation provided financial support to the Department of Psychiatry to facilitate sending psychiatric residents and attending physicians to work overseas with their international partners.

  • Support For Parasite Prevention Program in Liangshan Butuo
    • The Le Foundation provided financial support through UBS Optima Foundation to eradicate parasites in the poverty stricken area of Liangshan Butou in China.

  • Grant To Purchase INTEGRA CUSA EXCEL+ System at Cleveland Clinic Florida
    • The Le Foundation provided financial support to the living donor liver transplant program to purchase a cutting-edge Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator.

  • Grant To Purchase Rosa 3.0 Neurosurgery Robot at Cleveland Clinic Florida
    • The Le Foundation provided financial support to purchase a cutting-edge robotic surgical tool.

  • Grant To Purchase NeuroBlate System at Cleveland Clinic Florida
    • The Le Foundation provided financial support to purchase a diagnostic MRI and Laser treatment of brain tumors.

  • Grant To Purchase CT at Boca Raton Regional Hospital
    • The Le Foundation funded a new CT system in the Iris and Junming Le Foundation CT Suite.

  • Grant to Establish Yushu Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Neonatal Emergency Transport System (NETS)
    • The Le Foundation provided funding to help improve the well-being of Tibetan children in Yushu, Qinghai Province, China.

  • Support for the Queens Library at Flushing
    • The Le Foundation provided for the purchase of specialized equipment and materials and implementation of cultural programs at the Flushing Community Library.

  • Grant To Purchase ZEISS KINEVO 900 Robotic Visualization System at Cleveland Clinic Florida
    • The Le Foundation provided financial support to purchase a cutting-edge robotic surgical tool.

  • Grant to Establish Golog Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Neonatal Emergency Transport System (NETS)
    • The Le Foundation provided funding to help improve the well-being of Tibetan children in Golog, Qinghai Province, China.

  • Support the Expansion of the Chan Meditation Center in New York
    • The Le Foundation provided financial assistance to the Chan Meditation Center for increase space.

  • Donation to UBS Optimus COVID-19 Response Fund
    • The Le Foundation supported Americares, which provides emergency relief throughout the United States.

  • Donation for COVID-19 Responce in Tibet
    • The Le Foundation donated ventilators to the hospitals in Nagqu, Tibet, during the COVID 19 pandemic.

  • Grant to Establish Lhasa and Nagqu Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and Neonatal Emergency Transport System (NETS)
    • The Le Foundation provided funding to help improve the well-being of Tibetan children in Lhasa and Nagqu, Tibet, China.

  • Grant to Establish Ngari and Huangnan Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and Neonatal Emergency Transport System (NETS)
    • The Le Foundation provided funding to help improve the well-being of children in Ngari,Tibet, and Huangnan, Qinghai Province.

  • Donation to Cleveland Clinic Florida Transplant Center
    • The Le Foundation helped create an Organ Perfusion Laboratory by providing a Kidney Preservation and Perfusion machine and an ECMO machine.

  • Donation to Cleveland Clinic
    • Donation of a novel Karl Storz fluorescence guided surgical endoscope to Cleveland Clinic Florida.

  • Donation to Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Delray Branch
    • Donation of a new CAT Scan machine.

  • Donation to Cleveland Clinic Weston, Florida
    • Initiated a Digitizing Pathology Program.

     

    In The News

  • Tue, 15 Jan 2019 Chinese couples offer gift to New York Flushing Library with Chinese computer system - Sina News
    • BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- According to the American Overseas Chinese News Network, on the 20th anniversary of the completion of the new Flushing Library in New York, the drug scientist Le Junming and his wife Yan Saihong donated $135,000 to the library to serve Chinese. On the 14th local time, the Flushing Library showed 30 laptops, 2 desktop computers and a large number of new Chinese books and CDs purchased with donations. The Flushing Library is the first in the New York State Public Library to use a computer with a Chinese interface and operating system...

  • Tue, 15 Jan 2019 Chinese-born couple give Flushing Library computers - World Journal
    • In order to help the community of Chinese immigrants to integrate into the United States, the Queensland Public Library Flushing Branch announced on the 14th that it will provide two Chinese interface computers and 30 laptops for public use; the library of the Flushing Library, Zeng Yang, said that the book The museum will also use external donations to purchase 7,000 Chinese books and 4,000 documentaries. People are welcome to borrow...

  • Tue, 9 Oct 2018 Le Foundation Loves Yushu Charity - People's Network
    • On September 20th, Le Junmin and Yan Saihong of the Leshi Charity Foundation arrived in Yushu, Qinghai, to donate a batch of equipment and ambulances for the neonatal intensive care unit for the Bayi Hospital of Yushu City, which is a critical maternal and Newborn rescue transport provides protection...

  • Wed, 25 Jul 2018 From only 200 yuan to donate 20 million Le Junming to give back to the community - World Journal
    • New York University visiting associate professor and immunologist Le Junming was only 200 yuan when he came to Shanghai from Shanghai in 1979. But nearly 40 years later, his and his wife's foundation "Iris and Junming Foundation" has donated nearly 20 million yuan around the world. Yuan not only realized the American dream, but also gave back to the community and helped countless people in need...

  • Wed, 25 Jul 2018 Flushing Library was donated 135,000 to buy a computer with Chinese interface - World Journal
    • The Queensland Public Library Flushing Branch recently received a donation of 135,000 yuan from the "Iris and Junming Foundation" foundation founded by Chinese-born immunologist Le Junmin and his wife Yan Saihong. Some donations will purchase 30 laptops. These laptops are equipped with a Chinese interface, and the museum will become the first public library in New York State with a Chinese-language interface laptop for Chinese immigrant readers...

  • Wed, 25 Jul 2018 Le Foundation donated money to the Flushing Library to talk about the service of the Chinese community - The China Press
    • On June 30, Iris and Junming Le Fund (Lee Foundation) announced the donation of $135,000 for the Flushing Library on the 20th anniversary of the completion of the new Flushing Library To improve library equipment and the environment. On July 24th, the Lexus and the Flushing Library and the Flushing Library director Zeng Yang discussed how they would use the $135,000 to serve the Chinese community...

  • Sat, 30 Jun 2018 The Flushing Library in Queens has held a 20-year celebration of the new building on June 30 - World Journal
    • The Flushing Library in Queens has held a 20-year celebration of the new building on June 30. The number of servings has exceeded 32 million. The museum is a "study room" of the Flushing people who are mainly immigrants. The missing part not only acquires knowledge, but also becomes an important social place for the community; new immigrants who used to be interns are now deputy curators...

  • Wed, 26 Apr 2017 Biotech budding in Jupiter - Palm Beach Post
    • Microscope gets down to millionths of millimeters. Scripps Florida's newest microscope cost $500,000, can see things a few millionths of a millimeter apart and is so sensitive it can be thrown off by the draft from the air conditioning. The biotech lab...

  • Mon, 24 Apr 2017 Level 4 Accreditation for Cleveland Clinic Florida Epilepsy Center is Good News for Thousands in South Florida Living with Epilepsy - Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches
    • Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Epilepsy Center has earned accreditation as a Level 4 Epilepsy Center from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. Level 4 centers are equipped to provide the highest level of medical and surgical evaluation and treatment for patients with complex epilepsy...

  • Fri, 18 Nov 2016 Boca couple's gift funds equipment for liver transplant, epilepsy programs at Cleveland Clinic Florida - Sun Sentinel
    • A Boca Raton couple's gift has funded Cleveland Clinic Florida's purchase of two advanced machines that will be used for liver transplants and epilepsy treatments...

  • Fri, 26 Aug 2016 Scripps Florida scientists shed new light on the role of calcium in learning and memory- Eureka Alert
    • While calcium's importance for our bones and teeth is well known, its role in neurons--in particular, its effects on processes such as learning and memory--has been less well defined. In a new study published in the ...

  • Mon, 09 Feb 2015 "Living Cancer" Series - NPR
    • Support for "LIVING CANCER" comes from the Susan and Peter Solomon Foundation and The Iris and Junming Le Foundation. Additional support for WNYC's health coverage is provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Charina Endowment Fund, the ...

     

    Team

    Dr. Junming Le, Chairman and Director

    Iris Le (Sai Hong Yan), Director

    Daniella Ann Loh, Director

    Uri Weg, Manager

     

    Contact Us

    Please contact us with any comments, questions, or suggestions.

    The Iris and Junming Le Foundation
    521 Park Avenue
    New York, NY 10065
    Phone: (646) 807-9573
    The Iris and Junming Le Foundation
    501 South Ocean Boulevard Unit 101
    Boca Raton, FL 33432
    Phone: (646) 807-9573

    Email Us