The UC San Diego School of Medicine received a $5 million gift from Joseph and Honmai Goodman to advance innovation, education, and leadership at the intersection of surgery and emerging technologies. This visionary contribution establishes the Joseph and Honmai Goodman Family Endowed Director’s Chair in the Center for the Future of Surgery, ensuring sustained leadership for next-generation surgical techniques.
Additionally, the gift creates two key funds: the JW and HM Goodman Family Endowed Catalyst Fund for Emerging Technologies in Health and Medicine, which supports research into artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, and the JW and HM Goodman Family Endowed Fund for Training in Emerging Technologies, which provides hands-on education for students and fellows. These funds will benefit the Center for the Future of Surgery, the Simulation Training Center, and the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Center for Health Innovation.
Since its inception in 2011, the Center for the Future of Surgery has become one of the most advanced training facilities in the U.S., spanning 22,000 square feet with over $30 million in advanced tools. The center has trained more than 40,000 learners globally and has enabled breakthroughs such as scarless surgery, minimally invasive heart surgery, and the first fully customized anterior cervical spine surgery using AI and 3D-printed implants.
Honmai and Joseph Goodman, who is a renowned optical physicist and former Stanford University professor, were inspired by the center's ability to integrate technology with clinical care. Their commitment is echoed by School of Medicine leadership.
“I am inspired by the generosity of Joe and Honmai,” said Barbara Jung, associate vice chancellor and dean for the UC San Diego School of Medicine. “When they visited our institution, they immediately engaged and were excited by the team’s vision. This sentinel investment and their ongoing intellectual contribution strengthens our ability to lead in developing new technologies, training the next generation of surgical and procedural leaders and providing the most advanced care for our patients.”
Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla added that this gift will "accelerate the integration of emerging technologies into surgery, expand training for the next generation of leaders and ultimately improve care for patients around the world."
