Record fundraising and milestone anniversary highlights a year of change at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center

Delaney Kerstetter
Thu, 04 Dec 2025 04:05:36 +0000
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Dr. Carol Bradford is applauded for her work as the dean of the College of Medicine during Tuesday’s Wexner Medical Center Board meeting. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor

Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center is closing out the year on a high note, celebrating record-breaking achievements and milestone anniversaries.

At Tuesday’s board meeting, Dr. John Warner, CEO of the medical center, highlighted several accomplishments, including donations, institute anniversaries and a prize awarded to a professor. Also at the meeting, Dr. Carol Bradford, dean of the College of Medicine, announced she will be stepping down.??

Here are the top takeaways from the meeting.?

Record-breaking fundraising

Pelotonia, an organization that raises money for cancer research and hosts an annual cycling event at Ohio State to contribute to funding, raised a record amount from this year’s ride.

The 2025 event brought in $29.2 million, the largest single-year total in the organization’s 16-year history. Team Buckeye, Ohio State’s official Pelotonia team, contributed $2.9 million to the effort.

Kimryn Rathmell, CEO of The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, said the event represents more than just dollars raised.

“It’s an opportunity that we have to connect with the community that just does not exist anywhere else,” she said.

Funds from Pelotonia support new cancer research at the James, helping researchers pursue innovative treatments and discoveries.

25 th anniversary

The Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute marked its 25 th anniversary in October, celebrating a quarter-century of advancements in biomedical science and patient care.

Founded in 2000, the institute has grown into one of the nation’s leaders in cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal and metabolic disease research.

“The DHLRI has stood as one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive institutes of its kind,” said Warner.

Over the years, the institute has nearly tripled its funding and employment, according to Warner. It now collaborates with 36 departments across eight colleges at Ohio State and oversees more than 500 clinical trials in progress.

The institute has not only advanced biomedical research but also improved patient care, strengthening its role as a cornerstone of Ohio State’s medical college, Warner said.

Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Prize

On Nov. 17, Ohio State’s Heart and Vascular Center named Dr. Joseph Wu, director of Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, as the recipient of the 2025 Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Prize in Cardiovascular Sciences.

The award provides national and international recognition to those at the forefront of cardiovascular sciences, according to the medical center’s website.

Wu and his team focused on using human pluripotent stem cells to better understand cardiovascular diseases and accelerate the discovery of drugs to assist with cardiovascular problems.

The $2 million endowment established in 2008 has been used to strengthen connections between Ohio State and other leading cardiovascular scientists worldwide, Warner said, creating meaningful educational experiences and elevating Ohio State’s reputation as a leader.

“Their goal was to build on Ohio State’s leadership and care and research to ensure we not only keep pace, but set the pace,” he said.

Dean of the College of Medicine

Dr. Carol Bradford announced Monday that she will be stepping down as the dean of the College of Medicine.

“Dr. Bradford leaves the college well positioned for her successor, having established a legacy of strong and meaningful impact during her tenure as dean,” Warner said.

Under her leadership, the college has launched its new Community Medicine MD track, opened the newly renovated Health Sciences Center at Hamilton Hall and raised research funding to an all-time high of $477 million in 2024, Warner said. She also received recognition from U.S. News & World Report as one of the best medical schools in the nation.

“I hope you will join me and the rest of the group here in thanking Dr. Bradford for her service and congratulating her for all her efforts on our behalf,” Warner said.