APSA Foundation

Dr. Jay L. Grosfeld

The American Pediatric Surgical Association Foundation (APSAF) was founded to provide support for young pediatric surgical investigators and promote pediatric surgical research and education.  This year (2011) we are celebrating the 15th anniversary of grant distribution to investigators from the Foundation.  The vital support provided by APSA members energizes the productivity of our young pediatric surgeon-scientists and results in important new discoveries that benefit our patients and profession.  This would be impossible to accomplish without your generous financial support.

As we approach the end of another year, it is a time for all of us to consider how we can give back to our profession and assure the future of our specialty.  As pediatric surgeons all of us share in this important responsibility.  I am asking each of you to consider making a special gift to support the goals and objectives of the Foundation.  For those who have been generous in the past, I would urge you to continue your commitment to APSAF by making an additional gift.  For members that have never donated to APSAF previously, now is the time to make amends, step-up, be responsible and invest in the future of our specialty.  The APSA Foundation needs your support...

APSAF is a source of essential funds to promote biomedical research in pediatric surgery.  It has served as a gateway for young scientific investigators to become competitive for major external grants.  Many previous APSAF scholars have successfully used their seed grants to acquire NIH funding and justifies the tremendous return on investment experienced by the Foundation.

The Foundation is recognized as a tax exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization.  All gifts to the Foundation are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.  In addition to a tax deductible cash gift, there are other innovative ways to support APSAF.  These include providing a gift of stock from your investment portfolio.  Charitable contributions from publicly traded stocks provide an attractive option for tax savings.  The donor receives a charitable deduction for the fair market price of the stock while avoiding capital gains tax on any profit.  For our more senior members (age 70.5 years to qualify), the President has extended the IRA charitable rollover Pension Protection Act of 2006 through 2011.  This allows you to provide a gift to APSAF directly from your IRA without paying tax on the gift.  The amount donated to APSAF is included in your required total annual minimal distribution withdrawal from your retirement fund.  You only have to pay tax on the balance of the funds used personally and not the gift.  The Trustee of your IRA account must send the money for the gift directly to APSAF.  The IRA rollover is a nontaxable distribution to APSAF that has no effect on your being able to make deductible charitable contributions to other qualified organizations nor does it effect taxation on your Social Security benefits.  The Federal Government has extended this window of opportunity for IRA related deductible charitable gifts for 2011 tax purposes until January 31, 2012.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of APSAF, I want to take this opportunity to personally thank all of our contributing members for their vital support of the Foundation.

Sincerely,

Jay

Jay L. Grosfeld, MD
Chairman, APSAF Board of Directors

Make an Online Donation 
Download & Print a Donation Form 

APSAF Research Support Grants 

APSA Foundation Scholarship Winners 
Levels of Support
Apply for a Research Support Grant 

How Your Donation Pays Off

Nine of the 16 recipients of the annual foundation enrichment grant award in the last decade (see winners below) have subsequently received external funding from the NIH or other sources following their preliminary research accomplished with APSA Foundation funds. Your tax-exempt contributions to APSAF have energized young and deserving pediatric surgeons to become some of the leading surgeon-scientists of the future.

2011 Winners:
Shaun M. Kunisaki, MD - Division of Pediatric Surgery, Mott Children’s Hospital, University of Michigan- Ann Arbor, MI
“Mesenchymal Stem cell regulation of fetal lung development in diaphragmatic hernia”

Peter Nichol, MD, Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
“Using a genetic model of duodenal atresia to understand regenerative mechanisms within the intestine”

2010 Winners:
Cynthia D. Downard, MD
"Control of Intestinal Microcirculation in NEC"

Cassandra M. Kelleher, MD
"Extracellular Components Critical to Alveolarization: Contributions of Elastin"

2009 Winners:
Tippi C. MacKenzie, MD
"Maternal Immune Response in Utero Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation"

Kelly A. Miller, MD
"The Pathogenic Role of Enteric Glia in Hirschsprung’s Enterocolitis"

2008 Winner:
Douglas N. Miniati, MD
"Role of Notch4 signaling in aberrant pulmonary vascular development."

2007 Winner:
Allan M. Goldstein, MD
“Role of Sonic Hedgehog in enteric nervous system development”

2006 Winner:
James C.Y. Dunn, MD
"Enteric Nervous System Regeneration for Hirschsprung's Disease”

2005 Winners:
Elizabeth A. Beierle, MD
"Focal Adhesion Kinase and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 in Human Neuroblastoma"

Kerilyn K. Nobuhara, MD
"Intestinal Dysmotility in Fetal Repair of Gastroschisis"

2004 Winners:
Karl G. Sylvester, MD
"Liver Regeneration and Stem Cell Regulation via the WNT Signaling Pathway”

Christopher K. Breuer, MD
"Do Tissue Engineered Venous Conduits Grow? Investigating the Growth Potential of Tissue Engineered Venous Conduits in a Juvenile Lamb Model”

2003 Winner:
Peter F. Ehrlich, MD
"Injury Prevention through Brief Intervention: A Novel Approach to Pediatric Injury Prevention”

2002 Winner:
Mary Beth Madonna, MD
"Growth Factor Receptor Signaling and its Relationship to Cell Proliferation and Differentiation in a Neuroblastoma Cell Line”

2001 Winner:
Anthony Stallion, MD
"Intestinal Ischemia Reperfusion Injury Contributes to the Initiation of the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome”

2000 Winner:
Edward M. Barksdale Jr., MD
"The Therapy of Neuroblastoma-Induced Disorders of Dendropoiesis of Dendritic Cell Development”

1999 Winner:
Gail E. Besner, MD
"Heparin-Binding EGF-Like Growth Factor (HB-EGF) and Intestinal Ischemia Reperfusion Injury”

Levels of Support

All contributions, large and small, are very much appreciated. We have a number of preset contribution levels starting under $100 (regular donor) up to the $1000 Gold Supporter level.  To make your philanthropic planning more streamlined, special categories of support are available that recognize individuals who have demonstrated a high level of commitment.  A donation of $5000 is necessary to become a Robert E. Gross Benefactor and providing a contribution of $10,000 will allow you to be a member of the William E. Ladd Society.  Your prior contributions to the APSA Foundation can be counted cumulatively towards Gross Benefactor and Ladd Society status.  You may choose to submit the entire amount, the balance based on previous contributions, or pledge the remaining amount over a three-year period. 

Dr. William Ladd was one of the grandfathers of Pediatric Surgery and one of the first to dedicate his entire practice to the surgical care of infants and children.  Dr. Robert Gross was also one of the forefathers of our profession and served as the first President of APSA.  He trained many early leaders in the field and promoted the establishment of pediatric surgery as a recognized specialty.  We believe this is an appropriate method of honoring their considerable accomplishments and pioneering efforts.

Recognition

All donors will be recognized for their contributions by being listed according to their level of giving (i.e. donor. Gold donor, Gross benefactor or Ladd Society) in the APSA Annual Meeting Program.

2011 is the 15th anniversary of the APSA Foundation providing enrichment grants. The first grant to support a pediatric surgical research scientist was awarded in 1996.   During this special time, we hope that each APSA member will celebrate this milestone and remember the APSA Foundation in their annual giving program.  The APSA Foundation looks forward to welcoming the support of donors from among the new members and recent members of APSA who have yet to contribute and recognizing its sustaining contributors each year.

How to Apply for a Research Grant:

Download the 2012 application form from this page (above).

All applications and inquiries should be forwarded to Dr. Jay Grosfeld, chair of the APSAF Board of Directors, at jgrosfel@iupui.edu.

2012 Research Grants will be awarded at the APSA 43rd Annual Meeting, May 20-23, 2012, in San Antonio, Texas.