The application of business models to medical research: interviews with two founders of directed-philanthropy foundations. Interview with Scott Johnson and Don Listwin by Kathryn A. Phillips.

A new trend in research funding has emerged: directed philanthropy, in which the donor plays an active, hands-on role in managing the research by applying a "business model." Although such efforts now represent only a small portion of foundation funding, they have potentially far-reaching implications because (1) the approach of using a business model is being applied more broadly and (2) the success or failure of these efforts may portend the fate of larger translational efforts. The author conducted interviews with Scott Johnson of the Myelin Repair Foundation and Don Listwin of the Canary Foundation in the fall of 2006.