At TLI, philanthropy does more than support research. It accelerates discovery and ensures that the most innovative ideas have a chance at becoming lifesaving solutions for everyone.
When Ajay and Jane Mehra first visited The Lundquist Institute (TLI), they weren’t planning to make a gift. In fact, they hadn’t even heard of the Institute. Their introduction came through a conversation with cardiologist and TLI Investigator Matthew Budoff, MD. Intrigued, Ajay agreed to visit campus and learn more. What he discovered was unexpected. “Here’s this incredible work happening just ten minutes from my office,” Ajay recalls. “I went home, looked it up, and thought – this is pretty remarkable.”
During their visit, Dr. Budoff shared his work in cardiac calcium imaging, a powerful approach that uses advanced scanning and predictive analysis to identify and detect heart disease earlier, often before symptoms appear. For Ajay, whose career is rooted in imaging technology and algorithms, the connection was immediate. “I understood the technology,” he says. “But what really stood out was the potential. If you can detect disease early enough, you can treat it earlier, improve quality of life, and reduce costs across the entire healthcare system.”
Just as compelling was the scale of impact. “For us, it mattered that this could benefit people at scale,” says Ajay. “Not just a few, but entire populations, and ideally at low or no cost to patients.” This perspective is deeply personal for Ajay. His mother spent her career advancing maternal and child health through the World Health Organization, shaping his and Jane’s belief that the most meaningful innovations are those that reach as many people as possible.
That visit to TLI marked a turning point. Ajay and Jane recognized how philanthropy fills a different and essential gap. It also plays a key role in cultivating the next generation of scientific leaders. Investigators who trained under Dr. Budoff, like TLI Investigator Suvasini Lakshamanan, MD, MS, are building on foundational advances in cardiac imaging and expanding what’s possible through new approaches and technologies. Supporting emerging talent ensures that innovation continues well beyond initial breakthroughs.
Private funding gives researchers flexibility. It helps them move faster, test ideas, and generate the early results needed to secure larger grants. Without that, a lot of promising work never gets off the ground.
Jane and Ajay Mehra
“Attracting the right people is everything. You need the next generation to carry this forward,” Ajay notes. It also creates something less tangible, but just as powerful: connection. “Go visit. Go meet the people,” Ajay advises others considering a gift. “At the end of the day, whether you’re running a company or supporting research, it’s all about people.”
That belief was reinforced during conversations with TLI leadership, including TLI’s President and CEO Dr. Joe W. Ramos, whose vision for the Institute left a lasting impression. “There’s something special happening at TLI,” Ajay says. “You can feel it. And when you understand the impact this work can have not just today, but for the future, it makes you want to be part of it.”
For Ajay and Jane, this is just the beginning of their philanthropic journey with TLI. “This isn’t a one-time gift,” he says. “We’re excited to see where this goes.”
Help accelerate the future of medicine through bold ideas, groundbreaking innovation, and community support. Inspired by champions of scientific advancement like Jane and Ajay Mehra, your gift to The Lundquist Institute helps transform discoveries into real-world solutions that improve health outcomes for patients and communities.