A Look Inside the Geoffrey Beene Cancer Research Center
Where Vision Meets Science
When legendary designer Geoffrey Beene passed away in 2004, his vision for innovation lived on. In 2006, G. Thompson “Tom” Hutton, Esq., as Executor of Mr. Beene’s Estate and Trustee of the newly formed Geoffrey Beene Foundation, partnered with Nobel Laureate Dr. Harold Varmus to create something unprecedented: the Geoffrey Beene Cancer Research Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
The mission was audacious: fund the bold research ideas that traditional sources often will not support, especially early-stage discoveries with the potential to transform how cancer is prevented, diagnosed, and treated.
Today, under the scientific leadership of Scott W. Lowe, PhD, Chair of the Geoffrey Beene Cancer Research Center, that mission continues. The Center supports unconventional, high-risk, high-potential science with the power to move cancer research forward in fundamentally new ways.
The Impact
- $175 million invested
- 160 revolutionary research initiatives funded across all cancers
- Major breakthroughs in multiple cancers
Our approach works: For every dollar we invest, researchers secure an additional $1.67 in follow-up funding, proving that bold ideas attract bold support.
We don’t fund safe bets. We fund the unconventional thinking that transforms how we prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer, because breakthrough science requires breakthrough support.
The Foundation
Geoffrey Beene (1924-2004) was one of America’s most visionary fashion designers, pursuing perfection through fearless experimentation. In 2006, G. Thompson “Tom” Hutton, Esq. as Executor of Geoffrey Beene’s Estate, established The Geoffrey Beene Foundation with a mission to support critical philanthropic causes. The most important: revolutionizing cancer research.
The Partnership
Hutton approached Dr. Harold Varmus, Nobel Laureate and then President and CEO of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, with a shared vision: create a research center that would support the bold, unconventional ideas that traditional funding sources often overlook.
Together, they established the Geoffrey Beene Cancer Research Center at MSK in 2006, creating a home for high-risk, high-reward science with the potential to lead to genuine breakthroughs.
The Mission
Fund revolutionary research that leads to new treatments for cancer patients.
Not incremental improvements. Not safe bets. Revolutionary approaches to preventing, diagnosing, and treating cancer—research that has the power to make cancer a manageable, and ultimately, a curable disease.
The Strategy
The Center serves as the nucleus for revolutionary new research at MSK, uniquely bridging two complementary worlds:
- The Cancer Biology and Genetics Program — Scientists studying the genetic and biochemical triggers that transform normal cells into cancer
- The Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program — Physicians translating molecular discoveries into clinical treatments
This collaboration accelerates the journey from lab discovery to life-saving treatment.
The Commitment
Under Tom Hutton’s direction, the Geoffrey Beene Foundation and its affiliates have invested more than $175 million in cancer research at MSK, supporting approximately 160 bold research initiatives across all cancer types. This commitment has provided critical support for the people, ideas, and infrastructure needed to advance transformative science from early discovery toward meaningful impact for patients.
Our funding powers:
- Early-stage, high-risk research projects through two-year grant cycles
- Core research laboratories with state-of-the-art technology
- Senior and junior faculty chairs that help attract and retain world-class talent
Annual symposia and research retreats that foster collaboration across disciplines
The Vision Continues
Geoffrey Beene believed that creativity and courage drive progress. Tom Hutton translated that philosophy into a research powerhouse that challenges how cancer research is funded and conducted.
The result: A Center that does more than support science. It accelerates discovery by funding the ideas with the power to change everything.
