La Jolla Institute for Immunology
La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is a private, nonprofit medical research organization located in La Jolla, California. Established in 1988, LJI is recognized as one of the top five immunology-focused independent research institutions in the world. The Institute operates as a stand-alone, non-profit research organization dedicated to understanding the immune system and applying that knowledge toward developing treatments and cures for a wide range of diseases.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$62.5M
-4.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$10.3M
+18.3% YoY
Grant Count
36
+12.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$287K
+5.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
LJI's mission is to understand the far-reaching power of the immune system, based on the belief that no other biomedical discipline has greater implications for human health than immunology. By unraveling the complexities of the immune system, LJI researchers tackle an extraordinarily diverse array of diseases, including asthma, cancer, COVID-19, type 1 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Zika.
The Institute is organized into four specialized research centers:
- Center for Autoimmunity and Inflammation — Enabling experts to take a deep dive into the complexity of the immune system
- Center for Cancer Immunotherapy — Exploring new and sometimes unexpected avenues for novel immune-based cancer treatments
- Center for Vaccine Innovation — Conducting fundamental research on how the body reacts to vaccines and battles infections
- Center for Sex-based Differences in the Immune System — Uncovering sex-specific variations in immune response
Grantmaking
LJI functions as both a research institution and a grantmaker. According to the most recent financial data available, the organization made total grants of $11,383,266, with typical award amounts ranging from $6,000 to $3,462,338.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
LJI funds research primarily in California, New York, and Massachusetts, though the Institute maintains collaborative partnerships across the United States and throughout the world.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $62,503,266
- Total Revenue: $84,154,783
- Total Expenses: $86,007,343
- Number of Employees: 462
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $65.3M
- Total Revenue: $75.6M
- Total Expenses: $83.7M
The organization has maintained a Four-Star rating from charity evaluators, with a 93% overall score reflecting strong accountability and financial management.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $62,503,266 | $65,342,422 | $80,295,864 |
| Revenue | $84,154,783 | $75,554,472 | $92,274,481 |
| Expenses | $86,007,343 | $83,691,328 | $92,177,095 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,261,351 | $694,745 | $535,315 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
134 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from La Jolla Institute for Immunology
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Erica Ollmann Saphire, Ph.D., MBA serves as Professor, President & CEO. She is a leader in infectious disease research who has dedicated her career to bringing scientists together to face the toughest health threats.
The Institute was founded in 1988 by a coalition of leaders from academia and industry, including Dr. Makoto Nonaka (founding president) and Dr. Kimishige Ishizaka (first scientific director).
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERICA SAPHIRE | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $781,772 |
| MITCHELL KRONENBERG | DIR/PRES EMERITUS/PROFESSOR | 40 | $262,000 |
| ANTHONY R CARR | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| BARBARA DONNELL | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| BRAD GREENWALD | DIRECTOR (START 05/03/2024) | 2 | — |
| CAROLEE LEE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DAVID M RICKEY | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DAVID R WEBB | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| EMILY HOLMES | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| FRANCOIS FERRE | DIRECTOR(BEG 03/24)/CHAIR(BEG 10/24) | 2 | — |
| FRED MILLER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| GAIL K NAUGHTON | CHAIR (TERM 09/30/24) & DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| GENEVIEVE T JACOBS | DIRECTOR (TERM 03/07/2024) | 2 | — |
| JOHN M CARETHERS | DIRECTOR (EX-OFFICIO) | 2 | — |
| LINDA SHERMAN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MARK V BOWLES | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| PAUL THIEL | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RENETTA HAAS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RICHARD S BODMAN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ROBERT C DYNES | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SANDOR W SHAPERY | DIRECTOR (TERM 05/03/2024) | 2 | — |
| SANDRA SCHMID | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SANDY BOEK WERNESS | DIRECTOR (START 09/13/2024) | 2 | — |
| SUSAN DAVIS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| THOMAS L TULLIE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| YOSHIFUMI TORII | DIRECTOR (EX-OFFICIO) | 2 | — |
| RICHARD STRYJEWSKI | CFO & TREASURER | 40 | $322,730 |
| MARGARET NG THOW HING | SECRETARY & CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER | 40 | $292,248 |
| SHANE CROTTY | CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER | 40 | $406,486 |
| JOHN KEEGAN | COO | 40 | $298,588 |
| ALESSANDRO SETTE | DIVISION HEAD/CENTER HEAD/PROF | 40 | $599,418 |
| BJOERN PETERS | PROFESSOR | 40 | $411,190 |
| MICHAEL CROFT | DIRECTOR, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS | 40 | $380,393 |
| STEPHEN P SCHOENBERGER | PROFESSOR | 40 | $330,131 |
| HILDE CHEROUTRE | DIVISION HEAD/PROFESSOR | 40 | $323,087 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
LJI scientists have received significant research funding in recent periods, including:
LJI scientists win 'Prebys Research Heroes' fundingAn R01 NIH grant award of $4.5 million to LJI Instructor Haoyang Li to pursue innovative therapeutics for cancers, infectious diseases, and chronic inflammation
LJI Instructor Haoyang Li receives $4.5M to pursue innovative therapeutics\Funding awards through the "Prebys Research Heroes" program
LJI scientists win 'Prebys Research Heroes' fundingA $17 million grant establishing LJI as a global hub for immunology data curation and analysis
New $17 million grant establishes LJI as global hub for immunology data curationData last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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