The Rockefeller University is a private university focusing primarily on research in the biomedical fields and offers postgraduate and postdoctoral education. Located between E. 64th and E. 68th Sts. along York Ave, the university originated, in part, in personal tragedy. After John D. Rockefeller Sr.'s grandson died from scarlet fever in 1901, the capitalist & philanthropist formalized plans to establish the research center. At the time of the institute's founding, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria and typhoid fever were considered the greatest known threats to human health. New research centers in Europe were successfully applying laboratory science to increase our understanding of those and other diseases. Following their lead, the Rockefeller Institute became the first biomedical research center in the US. The Institute changed its name to Rockefeller University in 1965, after expanding its mission to include education. In the early 1960s, new faculty with expertise in physics & math joined the Institute, and in 1972, the university began its collaboration with Cornell University to offer grad students an M.D.-Ph.D. program.
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