Durham Developer Gives $1.5 Million for Duke Global Health Professorship\

By Jeni Lyttle, Duke University Medical Center News Office

DURHAM, N.C. – Durham developer Gary Hock has given $1.5 million to Duke University Medical Center to establish the Gary M. Hock Distinguished University Professorship in Global Health, which will support the study of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.

Hock, owner of G.M. Hock Construction Company, has traveled extensively in developing countries and said he has seen the damage being done by uncontrolled infectious diseases firsthand.

"It's a very serious world problem. It's one thing to read about the damage, but it's another thing to see the sheer numbers of affected people. I've seen a lot of villages that are in dire medical straits," Hock said.

The professorship will be based in Duke's Hubert-Yeargan Center for Global Health. The center's mission is to improve the health of people throughout the world through research, education and service partnerships between Duke's infectious diseases faculty and medical and government entities in Tanzania, China, Brazil, Kenya and Thailand, among other countries.

"We want to thank Gary Hock for supporting Duke's efforts to improve global health, which is a top priority of the university and medical center," said Duke University President Richard H. Brodhead.

"He understands, as we do, that Duke's commitment is to help people around the world, as well as in the Triangle area."

Hock, whose North Durham office buildings house a number of Duke University and Medical Center tenants, said several things inspired him to establish the professorship.

"I want to do what I can to help expand the knowledge of medical students and perhaps to eventually bring an end to some of these diseases -- especially HIV," he said. "Because this professorship will continue in perpetuity, its benefits in terms of care, research and education for HIV and other infectious diseases will be long term."

Duke University Chancellor for Health Affairs Victor J. Dzau, M.D., said gifts such as Hock's help support Duke initiatives aimed at addressing health problems in the developing world.

"We in the Duke community are pleased and honored by Mr. Hock's investment in our work to improve the health of people worldwide," Dzau said.

Hock's gift to establish the global health professorship is one of several he has made to Duke. For instance, in 2004 he purchased about $3.5 million worth of high-end medical research equipment for use by Duke's physician-scientists.

"I've made my living in this community for 25 years, and I believe people have a moral obligation to give back whenever they can -- especially when they find a cause that's important to them," Hock said. "My family and I are personally familiar with a number of Duke physicians and programs, and I believe that the work being done at Duke can help address many of the types of infectious diseases the world is dealing with now."