Masonic Medical Research Institute

What Masonic Medical Research Institute does

Masonic Medical Research Institute (MMRI) is an independent 501(c)(3) medical research institute headquartered in Utica, New York, founded in 1958 by the New York State Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons (incorporated 1947). It operates six principal investigator-led research laboratories (Kontaridis, Kessinger, Lin, McCarthy, Nystoriak, Wu) supported by six shared core facilities (Animal, FACS, Genetics, Histology, Imaging, iPSC), conducting basic and translational research across cardiovascular, neurocognitive, and autoimmune disease areas including congenital heart disease, heart failure, lupus, autism, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and PTSD. Core technical capabilities include molecular imaging probes, nanomedicine and targeted nanoparticles, AAV and modified mRNA gene delivery, iPSC-based disease modeling, and protein tyrosine phosphatase research (SHP2, PTP1B), with two issued/pending patents on gene therapy approaches to obesity and NASH.

MMRI's business model is event-driven nonprofit fundraising: primary inflows are competitive federal grants (NIH/NHLBI, DOD), disease-specific foundation grants (AHA, LADA), individual donations (including a $19.58/month "1958 Club" recurring program), corporate sponsorships (Adirondack Bank for the 1958 Gala), planned giving (Cornerstone Society), and community events (galas, Lupus Walk, Golf Classic, telethon). Outputs are disseminated via peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Nature Communications, Circulation, JCI, and Science Signaling; technology licensing of patented methods; the MV Biotech Collective regional alliance (SUNY Poly + Mohawk Valley Health System); and educational programs including a Summer Fellowship that trained 13 students in 2026. The customer base is effectively the scientific community, federal grantors, and regional donors, with no commercial product revenue.

Name

Masonic Medical Research Institute

Legal name

Masonic Medical Research Institute

Website

https://mmri.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Masonic Medical Research Institute is an independent 501(c)(3) medical research institute in Utica, NY, operating six labs and six core facilities to study cardiovascular, neurocognitive, and autoimmune diseases. It funds operations via NIH/DOD/Foundation grants, donations, and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Research

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Neurogenetics & Rare Neurologic Diseases (HLAKAIAO), Neurology/CNS Gene Therapies (HLAAACAH)

Keywords

• Biomedical research services
• Cardiovascular disease research
• Autoimmune disease research
• Molecular imaging research
• Translational medicine research

Headquarters

HQ city

Utica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Research Grants: Primary funding from federal agencies including NIH, NHLBI, and DOD through competitive grant applications supporting specific research projects.
2. Foundation and Association Grants: Funding from disease-specific foundations such as Lupus and Allied Diseases Association (LADA), American Heart Association, and others supporting research in respective disease areas.
3. Individual Donations and Fundraising: Direct charitable contributions from individuals through online donations, event participation, telethons, and annual giving campaigns.
4. Corporate Giving and Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events such as galas and walks, as well as corporate donations aligned with CSR and marketing goals.
5. Planned Giving and Legacy Donations: Bequests, charitable trusts, retirement plan designations, and charitable gift annuities from donors structuring long-term legacy gifts.
6. Recurring Giving Programs: Monthly recurring donation program (1958 Club) providing reliable ongoing funding at $19.58/month with exclusive donor club benefits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Masonic Medical Research Institute conducts collaborative basic and translational biomedical research in cardiovascular, neurocognitive, and autoimmune diseases through six specialized research laboratories supported by six core research facilities (Animal, FACS, Genetics, Histology, Imaging, iPSC). The institute develops proprietary molecular imaging probes, nanomedicine platforms, and gene therapy delivery systems, produces peer-reviewed publications, holds patents on gene therapy reagents, and licenses novel technologies to industry partners. It supplements its research mission with the Summer Fellowship educational program, annual fundraising galas, walks, and a telethon, and donation/planned giving services.

Product overview

Masonic Medical Research Institute (MMRI) is an independent medical research institute that operates as a single unified research organization, not a platform-plus-modules architecture. The institute's core offerings consist of six research laboratories conducting collaborative research in complex diseases and genetic disorders, supported by six core research facilities (Animal, FACS, Genetics, Histology, Imaging, and iPSC cores). Additional offerings include the Summer Fellowship educational program, annual fundraising events (Telethon, Galas, Lupus Walk), and philanthropic donation services. The research focuses on three main areas: cardiovascular diseases, neurocognitive disorders (autism, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, PTSD), and autoimmune diseases (lupus, Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MMRI Research Laboratories
• MMRI Core Facilities
• Summer Fellowship Program

Quantifiable outcome

• NIH grants totaling $3.7 million+ awarded to individual labs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MV Biotech Collective (with SUNY Polytechnic Institute and Mohawk Valley Health System)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2024Three regional institutions — MMRI, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, and Mohawk Valley Health System — signed a memorandum of agreement on November 19 to formally establish the MV Biotech Collective, a strategic alliance positioning the Mohawk Valley as a leader in biomedical innovation. The collective combines MMRI's scientific research, MVHS's clinical excellence, and SUNY Poly's academic innovation to pursue joint grant applications, AI-driven discovery acceleration, and creation of a biomedical hub. The group plans to form committees and develop a three, five, and 10-year strategic plan to drive entrepreneurship and regional economic growth.
• Northwestern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMMRI, in collaboration with Northwestern University, was awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop innovative imaging strategies for improving detection and management of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) following lung transplantation.
• Lupus and Allied Diseases Association (LADA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMMRI and LADA have partnered on lupus research initiatives including annual Lupus Walks in Utica and a $200,000 grant awarded to MMRI for lupus research. LADA President and CEO Kathleen Arntsen announced the award on August 14, 2024. The partnership has produced three annual Lupus Walk events (2023, 2024, 2025) with over 250 participants.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sanford Burnham Prebys: Independent nonprofit biomedical research institute in La Jolla, CA. Like MMRI, it operates multiple labs and core facilities, focuses on disease-specific research, and depends on NIH grants and philanthropic donations.
• Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation: Independent nonprofit biomedical research institute focused on autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease, and aging. Closely comparable to MMRI's cardiovascular-autoimmune-neurocognitive tri-disease portfolio and similar institute scale.
• Wistar Institute: Independent nonprofit biomedical research institute in Philadelphia focused on cancer, immunology, and infectious disease. Comparable to MMRI as an independent research institute with multiple specialized labs and core facilities.
• Gladstone Institutes: Independent nonprofit life science research organization focused on cardiovascular, neurological, and immunological diseases. Directly comparable to MMRI's tri-disease focus on cardiovascular, neurocognitive, and autoimmune disorders.
• Jackson Laboratory: Independent nonprofit biomedical research institute focused on genetics and genomics. Comparable to MMRI's role as a genetic center for inherited sudden death syndromes and its Genetics Core facility.
• Van Andel Institute: Independent biomedical research institute in Grand Rapids, MI focused on cancer, Parkinson's, and metabolic disease. Similar in scale and structure to MMRI as a smaller, independently funded nonprofit research institute.
• Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: Independent research and educational institution in New York focused on cancer, neuroscience, and genetics. Comparable to MMRI as a nonprofit research institute with strong peer-reviewed publication output.
• Salk Institute for Biological Studies: Independent nonprofit biological research institute in La Jolla, CA. Like MMRI, it operates as an independent research institute with disease-focused labs spanning cancer, neuroscience, and metabolic disease.
• Allen Institute: Independent nonprofit medical research organization focused on brain science, cell science, and immunology. Comparable to MMRI's multi-disease research model and collaborative lab-based structure.
• Stowers Institute for Medical Research: Independent nonprofit biomedical research institute focused on gene regulation and regeneration. Comparable to MMRI as a privately funded research institute operating disease-focused labs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MasonicResearch
• Facebookfacebook.com/MasonicMedicalResearchInstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Masonic Medical Research Institute