The RNA Institute Establishes the Jeffrey S. Sherman ’76 RNA Institute Endowment

Gift from Alumnus Aimed at Support for Student RNA Research

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 18, 2015) — The RNA Institute at the University at Albany announces the establishment of The Jeffrey S. Sherman ’76 RNA Institute Endowment.

The newly formed endowment will provide financial support to the Institute through the University’s Foundation to enhance the student research experience at the Institute. The gift will encompass aid for student stipends, workshops and awards, as well as the hosting of leading industry guest speakers.

Jeffrey S. Sherman

The benefactor is Jeffrey S. Sherman, senior vice president and general counsel of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), the global medical technology company, and a 1976 alumnus of the University at Albany.

“We are so pleased that a University alumnus has initiated the first of what we hope will be many endowments for the education and training of students in RNA science and technology development,” said Paul Agris, director of The RNA Institute.

In his role with BD, Sherman is the legal advisor to the corporation's board of directors, CEO and other senior executives, and oversees the company’s worldwide quality and regulatory affairs functions. Additionally, as general counsel, he is the primary legal adviser within the corporation to its constituents, an executive officer of the corporation and member of BD’s management committee, and administrator of BD’s in-house legal department.

He also serves as the chair of the Inside the Boardroom Subcommittee of the Committee on Corporate Governance of the American Bar Association Business Law Section.

"Having had the opportunity to know the work of the RNA Institute, I am very excited not only to this world-class scientific institution advance its mission but also to provide the University with some support in the increasingly important area of STEM education," said Sherman.

After receiving his B.A. degree cum laude from UAlbany, Sherman went on to earn a J.D., magna cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School in 1980.

The RNA Institute, working in collaboration with global academic and corporate researchers, fosters a fertile, dynamic research environment that promotes the development of RNA tools and technologies to address challenging human health problems. Since its inception in 2009, federal, state and private investments have resulted in a significant expansion of faculty, research staff, scientific labs and instrumentation, and in generating increased training and employment for graduate students and post-doctoral workers in RNA human health research. A world-class scientific staff; an array of advanced equipment in a mobile; modern lab infrastructure; public-private collaborations; and a dedication to scientific mentorship advance research that demonstrates broad application.

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