The comedian, actor, director, writer and producer, who died in March 2016, directed funds to benefit research in endocrinology, diabetes and hypertension; infectious diseases; and pancreatic diseases.
The donation, from the J. Yang and Family Foundation, will provide scholarships for undergraduates and graduate students, and support academic programming.
The contribution, from the Steven Gordon Family Foundation, will fund research, establish five faculty chairs and support a new lab where scientists can closely examine the mechanisms of the disease.
Part of the gift will benefit the Rape Treatment Center at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, and Stuart House, a program that serves the special needs of children who have been sexually abused.
The annual Gala in the Garden supports the Hammer Museum at UCLA’s internationally acclaimed exhibitions and public programs, which are free to the public.
The gift from Louis and Harold Price Foundation will enable Dr. Daniel Lu, associate professor of neurosurgery, to test promising treatments, with the potential for groundbreaking therapies.
“Thanks to Iris [Cantor], generations of women have been empowered to take command of their health and inspired to get involved,” said medical school dean Kelsey Martin.
The legendary musician has been a part of the faculty since 1978; Dean Judith Smith said the chair will extend his “tireless advocacy work for jazz as an American art form.”
Joan and Jerome Snyder’s gift will establish an endowed faculty chair in the department of ophthalmology; the couple have supported a wide range of programs across the campus.
The UCLA Connection Lab, to be led by Leonard Kleinrock, will foster interdisciplinary research on a range of technologies, such as blockchain, computer networks, big data and artificial intelligence.