Race for the Vaccine: Local Family Foundation Gives $100,000 to PittCoVacc Efforts

Ashok Trivedi is an entrepreneur, a technology industrialist and a philanthropist. And, although he’s a physicist by trade, his passion for biological sciences and human advocacy is what led him to support the University of Pittsburgh’s race for a COVID-19 vaccine with a $100,000 gift through the Trivedi Family Foundation.

“Pitt’s team is attacking this pandemic from two directions at once,” Trivedi said. “They have a potential vaccine, which looks promising, and they are working with a new delivery system. The microneedle patch is cost effective, easy to use, and does not need to be refrigerated. Those are incredible advantages in the fight against a disease that is devastating the world.”

The gift will help advance the work of Pitt scientists—specifically Louis Falo, Jr. and Andrea Gambotto in the School of Medicine—as they work to develop a vaccine delivered by a microneedle patch that would be both accessible and affordable.

“Mr. Trivedi’s gift underscores the importance of leveraging our greatest asset—world-class medical experts—in bringing this pandemic to an end,” said Anantha Shekhar, Pitt’s senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and the John and Gertrude Petersen Dean of the School of Medicine. “I am deeply grateful for the Trivedi Family Foundation’s support, which will help fuel the University of Pittsburgh’s urgent quest to develop a life-saving COVID-19 vaccine.”

The foundation, started in 2015, supports charitable causes that focus on education, cultural inclusivity and advancing medical and biological sciences—which Trivedi calls “the science of the 21st century.”

His commitment to these causes crosses continents as well as scientific disciplines. He is a trustee and founder of Ashoka University in India, where the new Trivedi School of BioSciences launched in January 2020.

The managing partner of SWAT Capital and CEO of his family foundation, Trivedi moved to Pittsburgh more than 40 years ago and built a strong friendship with the late Thomas Detre, emertius distinguished senior vice chancellor for the health sciences. Now, he’s reigniting his relationship with the University.

“The first polio vaccine was developed here, and there has been groundbreaking work in transplantation,” Trivedi said. “Now it is time for new breakthroughs, and I want to support the University of Pittsburgh as it becomes a lead player in the new revolution in biological sciences.”