Newswise — WASHINGTON, DC (July 14, 2014)— Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH) at the George Washington University today announced a generous gift of $2.5 million from the global healthcare company Sanofi US to endow a professorship focused on prevention and the management of clinical conditions. The Sanofi Professor of Prevention and Clinical Management will lead the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance at Milken Institute SPH, engage in cutting-edge research aimed at the prevention and treatment of obesity and other chronic conditions, and serve as a member of the teaching faculty.

“It is with pleasure that I announce the creation today of this newly endowed position, made possible by the gift from the visionary leaders at Sanofi,” said Lynn R. Goldman, MD, MS, MPH, the Michael and Lori Milken Dean of Public Health at Milken Institute SPH. “This position will help to strengthen the school’s expertise and ability to target obesity and other health conditions with preventive strategies that are effective at keeping people healthy before serious health problems get a chance to develop.”

This endowed position will be located in the Department of Prevention and Community Health and will collaborate with the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness, which was recently established to accelerate the school’s research on the topic of obesity and other preventable health conditions.

To fill the newly created position, Milken Institute SPH will conduct a search for a highly qualified individual, who is in the early phase of their career and actively engaged in research, teaching and scholarship and who will quickly deepen the school’s capacity in the area of prevention and clinical management. Qualified candidates could come from a number of disciplines including: nutrition and nutrition treatment; obesity clinical treatment and management; and regulatory science around development and approval of obesity devices and drugs.

This donation will help Milken Institute SPH build on its world-class research base in public health policy and prevention science, develop innovative new approaches to saving lives, and continue to forge collaborations in the U.S. and globally to drive improvements in the public health. Endowed positions are not only the highest honor bestowed on faculty, but they come with sought-after funds that can be applied to research, assisting graduate students, or other mission critical academic endeavors.

About Sanofi US: Sanofi, a global healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

About Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University:

Established in July 1997 as the School of Public Health and Health Services, Milken Institute School of Public Health is the only school of public health in the nation’s capital. Today, nearly 1,400 students from almost every U.S. state and more than 43 countries pursue undergraduate, graduate and doctoral-level degrees in public health. The school also offers an online Master of Public Health, MPH@GW, and an online Executive Master of Health Administration, MHA@GW, which allow students to pursue their degree from anywhere in the world.