The Focused Ultrasound Foundation was recently gifted a pledge of $10 million in unrestricted funds from an anonymous donor that will be matched dollar-for-dollar by 2022.

"This is a huge, transformative thing for the foundation and for the whole field of focused ultrasound," Dr. Neil F. Kassell, founder and chairman of the FUS, told HCB News. "It incentivizes donors to make contributions, and money is the fuel for the engine that drives the acceleration of the development and adoption of the technology."

Since the funds are unrestricted, they can be used to support the foundation's core programs, including awareness, meetings and educational activities, as well as infrastructure and administrative costs.
The additional $10 million in matched donations will then be used to support research. Areas of interest include brain disorders such as glioblastoma, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Parkinson's disease and depression, cancer immunotherapy, pancreatic cancer, pediatric disorders and veterinary indications.

"The research that we intend to support with [this gift] is for clinical indications across the board, whether it's technology development, preclinical laboratory studies, or clinical trials," said Kassell.

In April, the FUS received a donation of more than $90,000 from Atlantic Coast Athletic Club Fitness and Wellness Centers. It was raised during its Work Out and Give Back campaign.

The foundation's annual operating budget, which is between $8 million and $10 million per year, comes from private donations. Over 60 percent of the budget is allocated to fund research and clinical trials.

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