Hugh Culverhouse Jr

Funding will expand a specialized clinic and support research into complex respiratory conditions

June 11, 2026 — A $1 million gift from Coral Gables attorney, businessman and philanthropist Hugh Culverhouse Jr. will expand specialized care and research at UHealth – the University of Miami Health System, and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, for patients with serious lung diseases that are often underdiagnosed, difficult to treat and capable of causing long-term damage when care is delayed.

The donation will support the Miller School’s Bronchiectasis and Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Clinic, led by renowned pulmonologist, Lisa Domaradzki, M.D. helping expand access to physicians and researchers focused on complex respiratory conditions that can leave patients struggling for years with persistent coughing, recurring infections, shortness of breath and declining lung function.

After completing her residency and fellowship training at Penn State University, Dr. Domaradzki joined the faculty at the University of Miami in 2020, she is now the director of the Bronchiectasis and Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Clinic and the associate director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center. Through these roles, she provides dedicated care to patients with complex respiratory conditions, leveraging advanced therapies and personalized treatment approaches.

“Our goal is to shorten the time to diagnosis and expand access to specialty care” said Dr. Domaradzki. “The more we educate physicians and the public, the faster patients can reach the care they deserve—and the less they suffer.”

For the broader public, the gift addresses a growing challenge in health care: respiratory diseases whose symptoms can resemble asthma, COPD or routine infections, making them harder to detect and treat early. Bronchiectasis is a chronic condition that damages the airways and can lead to repeated lung infections and permanent lung damage if not properly managed. Nontuberculous mycobacterial infections can cause serious lung disease, particularly in people with underlying respiratory conditions.

The public health need is significant. Because symptoms can overlap with more common respiratory illnesses, patients may experience repeated doctor visits, courses of antibiotics or worsening infections before receiving a clear diagnosis. By strengthening both clinical care and research, the gift is intended to help physicians better understand these conditions, identify them sooner and improve long-term outcomes for patients across South Florida and beyond.

“This gift allows us to extend our impact—expanding access to earlier diagnoses, more effective treatment and better outcomes for patients who need it most,” said Dipen J. Parekh, M.D., CEO of UHealth, who is also executive vice president for health affairs at the University of Miami, founding director of the Desai Sethi Urology Institute, the inaugural Magnier Endowed Chair in Urology and the Victor A. Politano Endowed Chair in Urology. “We’re incredibly grateful for the support of the Culverhouse family.”

Culverhouse said the gift reflects his belief that philanthropy should help close gaps in care, especially for patients facing complex conditions that do not always receive broad public attention.

As one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers, UHealth delivers leading-edge patient care by the region’s best doctors, powered by the groundbreaking research and medical education of the Miller School of Medicine. As South Florida’s only university system, UHealth is a vital component of the community. The gift builds on Culverhouse’s prior support of the Miller School, including a $1 million contribution in 2021 to help establish the Desai Sethi Urology Institute.

Culverhouse, a Coral Gables-based attorney, businessman and real estate investor, has a longstanding record of philanthropic investment in initiatives that address critical gaps in health care, education and community needs. He has donated more than $75 million to support higher education, mental health and social service initiatives.