The Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT) honors the legacy of co-founder and chairman Dr. Philip Low, who passed away on March 4, 2026. Established by Dr. Low to extend his lifelong mission of reducing human suffering, LIFT is accelerating its commitment under the leadership of Stewart Low and Benjamin Lundgren. Operating at the Purdue Research Park, the Institute continues to advance novel drug discoveries and bridge the gap between laboratory research and lifesaving medical realities.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., March 20, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT) today honors the extraordinary life and legacy of its co-founder and chairman, Dr. Philip Low, who passed away unexpectedly from natural causes at his home on March 4, 2026 at the age of 78. While the scientific community mourns the loss of a prolific innovator, Dr. Low's foresight to found LIFT as a mission-driven organization dedicated to creating lifesaving innovations to reduce human suffering and mortality enables his vision and life's mission to continue.
Dr. Low, Purdue University's Presidential Scholar for Drug Discovery and the Ralph C. Corely Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, spent over 50 years transforming laboratory research into lifesaving therapies. His career was defined by a singular purpose: to reduce human mortality and suffering through innovation. With the establishment of LIFT in 2025, supported by a cornerstone $20 million gift from Phil and Joan Low, he created a bridge to carry this work forward for generations to come. "Phil and I always viewed our support of LIFT as a shared promise to patients waiting for a breakthrough," said Joan Low. "I am deeply committed to upholding that promise to patients everywhere."
"My father believed he had a moral obligation to use his talents to relieve pain and disability," said Stewart Low, PhD, Co-founder and Executive Director of LIFT. "LIFT was not just a project for him; it was the culmination of his life's work. He established this institute specifically to 'fill the gap' in early-stage drug development, ensuring that promising therapeutics would never be stymied by a lack of funding or clinical support. We are more committed than ever to executing that vision and bringing his next generation of targeted therapies to patients."
LIFT was designed to accelerate the transfer of innovative medicines from the lab into human use. By funding essential early-stage trials and de-risking new technologies, the institute provides a clear pathway for academic discoveries to become viable medical realities.
"Dr. Low's entrepreneurial spirit and scientific genius were matched only by his compassion for patients," said Benjamin Lundgren, Co-founder and Managing Director of LIFT. "He built LIFT to be an engine of hope. Our mandate is clear: we will continue to advance the novel medicines he pioneered. The foundation he laid is strong, and our team is honored to build upon it."
The Low Institute for Therapeutics will continue its operations at the Purdue Research Park, maintaining its close partnership with Purdue University and the Purdue Research Foundation. As LIFT moves forward, it remains guided by Dr. Low's belief that the ultimate victory in science is not the discovery itself, but the life saved because of it.
About the Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT)
The Low Institute for Therapeutics is a nonprofit research organization established to reduce human suffering from disease based on the pioneering work of Dr. Philip Low, Presidential Scholar for Drug Discovery and the Ralph C. Corley Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Purdue University. The Low Institute is focused on advancing clinical studies of innovative medicines designed to precisely treat a wide range of diseases by preferentially targeting diseased tissue, thereby improving efficacy, reducing side effects and improving patient outcomes. The Institute is focused on diseases which significantly impact human health, including malaria, many types of cancer, chronic kidney disease, pulmonary fibrosis, heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis, organ transplant rejection, fatty liver disease, Alzheimer's disease, sickle cell anemia and bone fractures. For more information, visit www.lowinstitute.org.
Media Contact
Benjamin Lundgren, Low Institute for Therapeutics, 1 765-806-3060, [email protected]
SOURCE Low Institute for Therapeutics
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