Patrick McBride, MD, MPH, emeritus professor, Cardiovascular Medicine, is joining forces with the UW Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (UW CTRI) as director of relations. He will work to help raise $10 M for an endowment to support the center. 

Dr. McBride, who directed the UW Health Preventive Cardiology Program for many years prior to his retirement in July 2017, will meet with potential philanthropic donors to discuss the importance of smoking cessation to improve the health of the people of Wisconsin and beyond. 

The endowment is intended to provide a stable system of resources to support the work of CTRI. Funds will be dedicated to five strategic priorities: 

• reducing tobacco use among vulnerable Wisconsin residents such as Veterans and those facing poverty or mental illness; 
• developing innovative tobacco treatments; 
• disseminating tobacco-dependence treatment throughout Wisconsin healthcare systems;  
• using technology to enhance tobacco treatment engagement and effectiveness;
• and training the next generation of tobacco scientists and clinicians.

Resources:

• UW Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention - Make a gift