Giving Back
| Friends of the Emory Eye Center
his interest: artistry. Whenever Katz
encounters something finely designed
or deftly structured—whether a
breathtaking performance, an advance in
medical care, or cutting-edge research—
it attracts him like a moth to a flame.
And when Alex Katz is attracted,
he tends to act. For both Alex and
David, the selective Katz Foundation
philanthropy is based in projects that
satisfy their desire to make life better
and fuller for children, parents, and
families everywhere, particularly
projects mitigating conditions that
cause deep suffering.
“We’ve always given significant
amounts of whatever we earn to
support charities,” Katz says. “It’s an
inherent part of what we consider
an appropriate way to live.”
Thanks to the Katz Family
Foundation, many well-designed
pieces of work are thriving at
Emory and elsewhere. These
include medical research, medical
care, education, service programs
and the arts. Katz family support to
Emory ranges across departments,
programs, and years. And the
momentum shows no signs of
slowing down.
In 2007, the seductive wow struck
Katz when he read in the online
journal Molecular Vision about Jeff
Boatright’s research on synthetic
bear bile (TUDCA) as a means of
treating, possibly even preventing,