On Oct. 19, 2026, The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) announced a historic $50 million gift from Linda T. and John A. Mellowes and the Charter Manufacturing Foundation to accelerate MCW’s efforts to advance precision medicine and become a destination for health. It is the largest investment ever made in precision medicine at MCW and matches the largest philanthropic gift in the institution’s history.

In recognition of this transformational gift, MCW’s Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine will be elevated to the Medical College of Wisconsin Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Institute for Genomic Medicine and Precision Therapeutics, reflecting progress toward becoming a nationally and internationally recognized collaborative for genomics and precision medicine. The gift will also rename the Hub for Collaborative Medicine, the collaborative space at the heart of MCW’s Milwaukee campus, to the Medical College of Wisconsin Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Health Innovation Center.

“We are proud that we can get exceptional, innovative care right here in our hometown, and we want everyone to have that experience,” said Linda T. and John A. Mellowes. “The Medical College of Wisconsin is a place people trust, and when you’re facing a serious health challenge, getting your health back is all about trust. We hope this gift helps more people receive the care they need close to home.”

Precision medicine aims to deliver the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. It recognizes that no two people are exactly alike and therefore may respond differently to the same therapy. By understanding how genetic differences influence health and disease, physicians can tailor care to each individual and improve outcomes.

The Mellowes family’s generosity will serve as a catalyst for MCW, Children’s Wisconsin and Froedtert ThedaCare Health to think bigger and bolder in pursuit of a future where personalized, lifelong care is the standard for everyone.

MCW has long been a pioneer in this field. In 2009, MCW and clinicians from Children’s Wisconsin became the first in the world to successfully treat a patient by sequencing their genome. Since 2017, MCW’s Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine has driven translational research that now powers first-in-human clinical trials at Children’s Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital, serving as the nexus for the three institutions’ shared vision of advancing precision medicine.

The Mellowes family’s foresight in 2022 further laid the groundwork for MCW’s leadership in genomic sciences, and it was this early investment that now propels the next chapter of precision medicine at MCW.