The Marcus Foundation awards $14.4 million to create Marcus VITAL Laboratory at Baylor College of Medicine’s Center for Aortic Surgery

Baylor College of Medicine recently received a $14.4 million philanthropic research award from The Marcus Foundation to establish the Marcus VITAL (Vascular Intelligence for Translational AI and Learning) Laboratory, a first-of-its-kind research and education hub in Baylor’s Center for Aortic Surgery.

This transformative investment will accelerate the integration of artificial intelligence, advanced imaging and clinical data to advance precision medicine for patients with complex aortic disease – conditions that remain among the most life-threatening and challenging in cardiovascular care.

The Marcus VITAL Laboratory, located at the Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine, will serve as a national and international model for how data-driven discovery can be rapidly translated into real-world clinical impact.

“This work is about providing better care for patients,” said Michael E. DeBakey Distinguished Endowed Chair in Surgery Dr. Gustavo S. Oderich, chief of vascular surgery and endovascular therapy, director of the Center for Aortic Surgery at Baylor and now the founding leader of the Marcus VITAL Laboratory. “By harnessing artificial intelligence and the world’s largest aortic datasets, we can better understand disease, personalize treatment and improve outcomes for patients in ways that simply weren’t possible before.”

The laboratory honors the legacy of Bernie Marcus, whose philanthropic vision has transformed institutions and communities across the country. Marcus, who co-founded Home Depot in 1978, experienced firsthand the life-extending potential of advanced aortic care under the leadership of Oderich, a journey that helped inspire this landmark investment in research, education and innovation.

“The Marcus Foundation is proud to support the work Dr. Oderich and his team are advancing at Baylor," said Frank Blake, chairman of the board of The Marcus Foundation. “Bernie would often say his hope was that he had changed the world for the better. He also believed in the power of people and enabling bold ideas that improve lives. The Marcus VITAL Laboratory is a powerful reflection of his incredible legacy.”

The Marcus VITAL Laboratory will support a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to aortic care – combining advanced data analysis, digital twin modeling, genetic research and clinical trials with hands-on training for the next generation of cardiovascular leaders. The laboratory also will expand a set of highly specialized fellowships, giving future surgeons rare, high-volume experience in complex aortic procedures that are seldom encountered during traditional training.

“This philanthropic research award represents the very best of what partnership can achieve,” said Greg Brenneman, chair of Baylor College of Medicine’s Board of Trustees. “Baylor has the people, the platform and the purpose to translate bold ideas into better care for patients. By uniting The Marcus Foundation and Baylor around the values Bernie Marcus championed, this partnership sets in motion progress that will improve lives around the world for years to come.”