By ANN PIERCEALL

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Hannibal surgeon Dr. Michael Bukstein and his wife, Sharon, have made a $1.1 million gift to the University of Missouri's School of Medicine that will endow the Michael J. and Sharon R. Bukstein chair in cancer research.

Bukstein is a 1970 graduate of the medical school at MU and served as the university hospital's chief surgical resident. His wife was a University of Missouri Medical Center nurse.

Bukstein said the couple made the gift now, because a $1 billion capital campaign is under way at the Columbia campus.

"I got a very good medical education there. I felt this can be a sort of payback. You really can't pay back; you can only pay forward," he said.

Bukstein said it's a "perfect situation" at the University of Missouri-Columbia's School of Medicine right now. He said it's the only state university with a medical school, science department and research facilities, along with a nuclear reactor, all on one campus.

"There's a potential synergy that has a lot of possibilities," he said.

The School of Medicine is also on the cutting edge of cancer-related research, pursuing treatments using ultrasound and nanoscience, which uses microscopic particles to battle disease.

"They have the right combination of things, and I felt this was the one thing I could contribute," he said.

Bukstein has been a longtime advocate and contributor to the fight against cancer. He is chairman of Missouri's Comprehensive Cancer Action Plan, which represents more than 40 agencies and health-care professionals working on cancer-related issues, from prevention and diagnosis to end-of-life issues.

Bukstein is president and CEO of the Hannibal Clinic. He also serves as president of the MU Medical Alumni Organization.

Dr. William M. Crist, dean of MU's School of Medicine, is a pediatric oncologist and a longtime friend of the Buksteins.

"They've just done so much for medicine in Hannibal. (Bukstein) has devoted a lot of time promoting cancer care and research. Now he's choosing to give back to the medical school to promote that (here)," Crist said. "He's contributed to our foundation board here and participated in everything we have in the way of medical support. He's a real ambassador for the medical school in addition to being a donor."

Crist said the endowed chair is a major contribution that helps support faculty morale and retention. He said the chair is expected to be awarded soon to an MU medical faculty member, or possibly a recruited researcher, who will expand cancer research.

Crist said donations like the Buksteins' have allowed the School of Medicine to raise $103 million toward the university's $1 billion For All We Call Mizzou campaign. He said about 90 percent of that money has come from medical school alumni like Bukstein.

-- apierceall@whig.com/(573) 221-5879