Our Impact
Embracing high-risk ideas that have high-impact potential
Supporting Breakthroughs
In Dementia and Infectious Disease Research
For more than 10 years, the Karen Toffler Charitable Trust has been a partner and source of support for medical research institutions and individuals working to solve humanity’s greatest needs with cutting-edge and emerging ideas.
By focusing on providing funding and a network for future-focused approaches often considered too early and high-risk for traditional channels, we are driving forward meaningful solutions as well as the community of those who have the potential to create them for years to come.
We accomplish this urgent and audacious commitment through two strategic areas of focus: Toffler Grants and the Toffler Scholar program.
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The Toffler Scholar Program
Perhaps more than anything else we do at the Karen Toffler Charitable Trust, the Toffler Scholar program reflects the future-focused legacy of our founders, Alvin and Heidi Toffler. It is expressly dedicated to filling a support gap for promising young medical researchers, physicians, and scientists who are at a pivotal point in their careers. With funding and a vital, relevant network, recipients have the resources they need to continue their groundbreaking work and develop into experienced professionals.
Toffler Scholars are selected for their keen intellect, innovative thinking, meticulous planning, and demonstrated passion for their work. Through working on disparate projects across multiple areas, every Toffler Scholar is united in his or her goal to advance medical research and bring high-impact changes to all humanity.
Toffler Scholar Spotlight
Enabling AI Diagnosis
Dr. Kolachalama and his team are using artificial intelligence to bridge this expertise gap and to develop criteria to enable accurate diagnosis. To accomplish this goal, they are researching, building, and testing AI models that can aggregate brain imaging and multimodal health data from patients at various stages of Alzheimer’s as well as patients experiencing normal cognition. For Dr. Kolachalama and his team, the penultimate result of this work would be AI models being used in memory clinics, both independently and alongside physicians, to diagnose or detect cognitive diseases and disorders.
"It is better to err on the side of daring than the side of caution."
- Alvin Toffler, Future Shock
Toffler Grant Program
Through strategic annual grants, the Toffler Grant program supports medical research organizations that have demonstrated high-impact potential and a need for financial and network support. For those who challenge conventional thinking in the effort to create a healthier future, the Toffler Grant program is a path to the next stage of research, discovery, and impact.
Toffler Grant Spotlight
Transforming the Treatment of Superbugs
Antibiotics have revolutionized healthcare, saving lives for nearly a century. Unfortunately, superbugs that are resistant to most or all strains of antibiotics are becoming more common.
One new treatment option is bacteriophage (“phage”) therapy. Phage are viruses that have evolved to hunt down and kill specific bacteria without harming the patient. In addition to leading clinical trials of phage therapy, IPATH is safely using phage therapy to treat people with life-threatening, multi-drug resistant bacterial infections through the FDA’s compassionate use program. We are bringing this innovative therapy – at no cost – to those with serious multi-drug resistant bacterial infections associated with cystic fibrosis, complicated urinary tract infections, organ transplantation and implantable hardware.
See a Bigger Picture
Passion and promise fuel our work, the work of those we fund and support, and the people in their lives.
Your involvement will change humanity for the better.