Haarbergs' Generosity Bridges the Gap to Innovative Drug Research

For Kevin and Lorie Haarberg, the mission behind the new 3D (Drug, Disease, and Delivery) Research Center is as personal as it gets: Kevin is a 1979 pharmacy graduate, while Lorie lost both of her parents to cancer.

For the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, the mission of this groundbreaking center is a key step in putting the pharmacy program on the map while transforming the treatment of cancer and other diseases.

The Drug, Disease, and Delivery Research Center aims to develop new formulations and delivery systems for existing drugs.

By investing in the repurposing of drugs that already exist rather than creating new pharmaceuticals, researchers may reduce development time and cost while improving health outcomes for a variety of diseases.

This strategy provides an integrated framework for drug development and builds academic, industry, and clinical partnerships to advance these new treatments.

This innovative approach will heighten team collaboration to modify existing drugs while optimizing their biological and delivery properties.

As SDSU researchers work together to translate revolutionary ideas into fundable research projects, the pharmacy program will pave the way to new therapeutic approaches for cancer and other diseases.

With a future home within the Avera Health and Science Center, the 3D Center might still be nothing more than a bold Jackrabbit dream, if not for the Haarbergs’ pivotal generosity. Their gift of bridge funding helped to leverage state dollars to make the 3D Center a reality.

Motivated by Kevin’s in-depth knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry and Lorie’s family loss to cancer, the couple recognized an opportunity to improve drug treatments and were determined to make a difference in the medical field.

As Kevin explained, “Knowing something doesn’t change your life. Doing something does.”