The Louis-Jeantet Foundation was set up in Geneva in 1982 according to the wish of the Geneva-resident French businessman Louis Jeantet, having been endowed with his fortune upon his death from cancer

Cancer

Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...

 in 1981. The Foundation commenced activities in 1983.

It funds the Louis-Jeantet Prize

Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine

The Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine is awarded annually by the Louis-Jeantet Foundation to biomedical researchers in Europe; the awards are made each April...

, and a number of professorships at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva

University of Geneva

The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...

.