Atrium Health Foundation Announces Inaugural Holder of The Paula Takacs Foundation Endowed Chair for Sarcoma Research
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 28, 2025 — A $2 million endowment fund established at Atrium Health Foundation — through gifts from The Paula Takacs Foundation for Sarcoma Research — is supporting an endowed chair for sarcoma research at Atrium Health. Dr. Joshua C. Patt was named the inaugural Paula Takacs Foundation Endowed Chair for Sarcoma Research at a private investiture on August 14. Support for this position signifies The Paula Takacs Foundation’s deep commitment to sarcoma programs at Atrium Health Levine Cancer and Atrium Health Levine Children’s.
Admired for his dedication to nurturing the careers of learners and colleagues across Atrium Health, Dr. Patt serves as the sarcoma section chief at Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, vice chair for education and professor of orthopaedic surgery at Atrium Health. Previously, he led the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center as program director and continues to support both residency and fellowship programs. His appointment as The Paula Takacs Foundation Endowed Chair honors his remarkable career and ensures his impact for generations to follow.
“Dr. Patt’s ability to balance clinical excellence with compassionate care is extraordinary. Whether he’s in the operating room, mentoring a resident or leading a research initiative, he brings integrity, humility and vision to our cancer team,” said Dr. Ruben Mesa, president of Atrium Health Levine Cancer and executive director of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The Paula Takacs Foundation Endowed Chair for Sarcoma Research will advance medical research leading to earlier detection, novel therapies, improved outcomes and curative treatments for pediatric and adult patients treated for sarcoma at Atrium Health. With support from The Paula Takacs Foundation, Patt and his colleagues have recently launched a potentially groundbreaking prospective study led by principal investigator Dr. Johann Hsu, on liquid biopsies and circulating tumor DNA, a critical step forward in Atrium Health’s translational research program dedicated to bone and soft tissue sarcomas.
“The establishment of the Paula Takacs Foundation Endowed Chair for Sarcoma Research represents a transformative moment — not only for Dr. Patt and Atrium Health Levine Cancer, but for every patient and family touched by this rare cancer,” said Christine Wade, executive director of The Paula Takacs Foundation. “By investing $2 million into this endowed chair, we are making a powerful statement of hope: Every person diagnosed with sarcoma deserves the best and brightest minds fighting for their future.”
During the investiture ceremony, Dr. Ebony Boulware, dean of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, underscored the significance of the prestigious appointment. “Endowed chairs are powerful vehicles of progress that elevate scientific discovery, strengthen clinical leadership, and expand our ability to care for patients in meaningful, life-changing ways,” said Boulware. “The Paula Takacs Foundation’s vision and generosity are lighting the path forward in cancer research and care, allowing us to carry that legacy into the future.”
As the demand for comprehensive cancer care and sarcoma expertise in the Charlotte area continues to grow, philanthropic support from donors like the Paula Takacs Foundation will help to ensure that Atrium Health’s patients have access to the best sarcoma care available in the region.
“This endowed chair is a well-deserved recognition of Dr. Patt’s contributions – and a powerful investment in the future of sarcoma care,” said Mesa.
Media contact:
Kirstin Ashford
Kirstin.ashford@atriumhealth.org
704-907-3778
About Atrium Health Foundation
Founded in 1959, Atrium Health Foundation is one of the largest charitable foundations in Charlotte. As the point of contact for all contributions benefiting Atrium Health in the Charlotte region, the Foundation is redefining care through transformational giving. Through its current Giving Hope Campaign, Atrium Health Foundation is supporting Atrium Health’s efforts to create the learning health system of the future by building healthy communities, outstanding education programs, preeminent research and exemplary facilities.