$15 Million Gift to Name, Support UC Irvine's Center for Translational Vision Research

James and Cynthia DeBoard, through the Brunson Foundation, have gifted $15 million to UC Irvine to name the Center for Translational Vision Research in the Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building. Laurel Hungerford Photography

Irvine, Calif., Sept. 3, 2025 — The University of California, Irvine has received a $15 million gift from the Brunson Foundation, led by James and Cynthia DeBoard, to name the Center for Translational Vision Research in the Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building. The funding, which honors the memory of entrepreneur and philanthropist Robert M. Brunson, is expected to accelerate the development of treatments and cures for blinding diseases.

“We are deeply grateful to the Brunson Foundation for this transformational gift that will accelerate our mission to develop life-changing treatments for blinding diseases,” said Dr. Steve Goldstein, vice chancellor for UC Irvine Health Affairs. “This investment honors Robert Brunson’s legacy while positioning UC Irvine at the forefront of vision research innovation, where our scientists and clinicians can pursue the most promising avenues to restore and preserve sight.”

The Brunson Foundation gift will have both an immediate and a lasting impact on UC Irvine. Of the total, $5 million will support the final construction and outfitting of the Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building, a state-of-the-art research hub designed to foster collaboration among scientists and clinicians. The remaining $10 million will establish the Robert M. Brunson Center for Translational Vision Research Endowment, providing vital resources for the center’s top priorities under its director, Krzysztof Palczewski, PhD, Distinguished Professor, Donald Bren Professor and Irving H. Leopold Chair in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences.

“The Brunson Foundation’s generosity honors Bob Brunson’s life and legacy in a way that will impact patients for generations,” Palczewski said. In recognition of this transformational gift, the center will now be named the Brunson Center for Translational Vision Research. Dr. Baruch Kuppermann, the Roger F. Steinert Endowed Professor and chair of the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, as well as director of the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, will serve as clinical co-director.

Read the complete press release at UC Irvine News.