UCLA receives $5 million to establish Goodman Center for Longevity in Athletics

UCLA Health has received a $5 million commitment from Andrea and Donald Goodman to establish a pioneering research and clinical center focused on helping people preserve mobility, physical function and quality of life as they age.

The new UCLA Goodman Center for Longevity in Athletics, located within the UCLA Health sports medicine enterprise, will combine clinical expertise, research and innovation to address a challenge of modern medicine: helping people remain active and independent throughout longer lifespans.

While advances have enabled people to live longer, many spend their later years coping with chronic pain, declining mobility, joint disease, fractures and the loss of independence. By focusing on extending not simply lifespan but "healthspan," the center will work to preserve the ability to move, recover, participate in meaningful activities and enjoy life at any age.

"The ability to stay active is fundamental to health, independence and quality of life," said Johnese Spisso, president of UCLA Health and CEO of the UCLA Hospital System. "We are deeply grateful to Andrea and Donald Goodman for their visionary support. Their investment will help UCLA create a new model of care focused on preserving movement and function across the lifespan."

The Goodman Center for Longevity in Athletics will bring a multidisciplinary approach to active aging by integrating orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, physical therapy, nutrition, endocrinology, neuromuscular medicine and other specialties. Patients will benefit from comprehensive evaluations of factors such as balance, biomechanics, cardiovascular fitness, bone health and functional performance, along with individualized recommendations designed to maintain mobility and reduce the risk of injury and disability.

Beyond patient care, the center will serve as a hub for research and clinical innovation. Investigators will explore new approaches to joint preservation, injury prevention, musculoskeletal aging, recovery biology and regenerative therapies while evaluating emerging technologies and treatments and providing patients with access to evidence-based interventions and leading-edge clinical trials.

"We believe people should be able to enjoy active, healthy lives for as long as possible," Donald Goodman said.

"Our motivation for this gift is to help people live healthier, more active and engaged lives as they age," said Andrea Goodman.

Musculoskeletal health will be central to the center's approach. While cardiovascular and metabolic health are important predictors of longevity, conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, cartilage degeneration, tendon injuries and the loss of strength are common reasons people can no longer participate in activities that matter most to them. Through coordinated care, research and prevention strategies, the center will address these challenges, serving patients ranging from competitive athletes to older adults seeking to maintain their mobility, fitness and independence.

"Patients increasingly want more than relief from pain. They want to continue doing the things they love," said Dr. Nicholas Bernthal, chair of the UCLA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. "The Goodman Center for Longevity in Athletics will help UCLA lead a new era of medicine focused on preserving movement, function and independence, which underpin quality of life."

Donald Goodman currently serves on the UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center board of advisors and the UCLA Second Century Council.

The gift continues the Goodmans' longstanding support of UCLA and UCLA Health, which includes co-founding the UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center in 2023, and reflects their commitment to advancing innovations that improve human health and quality of life. Their philanthropy has helped accelerate transformative initiatives across the university, and the Goodman Center for Longevity in Athletics represents a new investment in the science and clinical care of healthy aging.

UCLA aims to establish the Goodman Center for Longevity in Athletics as a national destination for active aging and a model for how healthcare systems can help people not only live longer but live better.