Dennis J. Paustenbach, a pioneer in the health and environmental risk assessment industry, has made a $1 million planned gift to The Jackson Laboratory to support cancer and immunology research, JAX announced in a news release Tuesday.
JAX facilities include The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in Farmington.
Paustenbach is a board-certified toxicologist and industrial hygienist with nearly 30 years of experience in industrial and environmental toxicology, occupational health and human risk assessment. He is the founder of ChemRisk, a human and ecological risk assessment firm, which merged with Cardno to form Cardno ChemRisk, a division of Australia-based Cardno ENTRIX in 2012.
As president of the division, headquartered in San Francisco, Paustenbach oversees about 110 scientists and staff who serve clients in various industries around the world.
Paustenbach’s gift will establish an endowment called the Paustenbach Family Cancer and Immunology Research Fund.
“I concluded JAX was the best equipped to take its eight decades of work with mice to make dramatic improvements in the way we treat or cure cancers,” Paustenbach said in the release. “JAX can use the mouse to give us insights into diseases that other places can’t do. What is really special about JAX is its ability to use mouse genetics and immunology to get an upper hand on cancer.”
