Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute Receives $3 Million Gift to Advance Fertility and Hormone Preservation Research

Monica Laronda, PhD, and Erin Rowell, MD, co-directors of the Fertility and Hormone Preservation and  Restoration Program at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, have received a transformative $3 million gift from the Mary and Ralph Gesualdo Family Foundation to advance pioneering research in fertility and hormone preservation. 

Longtime supporters of the program since its founding in 2016, Mary and Ralph Gesualdo’s latest investment will accelerate efforts to expand future family-building options for children and adolescents facing conditions that threaten fertility.

“This extraordinary gift allows us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in fertility and hormone restoration,” said Laronda. “Our goal is to create innovative, clinically meaningful solutions that give young patients more options and hope for their future.”

Of the total gift, $2 million will directly support key research initiatives within the Fertility and Hormone Preservation and Restoration Program and the Laronda Laboratory. The lab focuses on understanding the mechanisms of human sex development and translating those insights into groundbreaking diagnostic and restorative technologies. Current areas of research include inducing in vitro follicle growth and maturation, improving ovarian tissue transplantation outcomes, developing cell-based hormone replacement therapies, and creating a human physiomimetic ovary platform.

“The Gesualdo family’s generosity is instrumental in helping us move promising science closer to real-world impact,” said Laronda. “These efforts are about more than research— they’re about giving patients possibilities that didn’t previously exist.”

The remaining $1 million will establish the Gesualdo Family Research Scholar, an endowed position that will support recruitment of a PhD scientist dedicated to advancing collaborative research in fertility and hormone preservation and restoration.

“This gift strengthens our ability to build a multidisciplinary team focused on solving some of the most complex challenges in pediatric reproductive health,” Rowell added. “It ensures sustained progress and innovation for years to come.” Dr. Laronda serves as the George M. Eisenberg Chair in Developmental Biology at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and is an associate professor of pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Rowell is an attending pediatric surgeon at Lurie Children’s and a professor of surgery at Feinberg School.

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to exceptional care for every child. It is the only independent, research driven children’s hospital in Illinois and one of less than 35 nationally. This is where the top doctors go to train, practice pediatric medicine, teach, advocate, research and stay up to date on the latest treatments. Exclusively focused on children, all Lurie Children’s resources are devoted to serving their needs. Research at Lurie Children’s is conducted through Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, which is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children’s is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. It is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.