• Rudy Ruggles, a Ridgefield resident, donated to the Western Connecticut Health Network for its research institute. Photo: JOHN HALPERN / Contributed Photo / JOHN HALPERN 2018
Photo: JOHN HALPERN / Contributed Photo
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Rudy Ruggles, a Ridgefield resident, donated to the Western Connecticut Health Network for its research institute.
Rudy Ruggles, a Ridgefield resident, donated to the Western Connecticut Health Network for its research institute.
Photo: JOHN HALPERN / Contributed Photo
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Standing from left to right: Dr. John Martignetti, director for the laboratory for translational research; Dr. Sabina Swierczek, lead research associate; Rudy Ruggles, chair of the Scientific Advisory Council; Deep Pandya, research associate for bioinformatics; Shiquan He, biostatistician. Stephanie Polukort, a research assistant, is sitting. less
Standing from left to right: Dr. John Martignetti, director for the laboratory for translational research; Dr. Sabina Swierczek, lead research associate; Rudy Ruggles, chair of the Scientific Advisory Council; ... more
Photo: JOHN HALPERN / Contributed Photo
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DANBURY — A former member of Danbury Hospital’s board of directors, Rudy L. Ruggles, has given what was described as a “transformational” gift to the Western Connecticut Health Network to improve its research facility.

WCHN will rename its research laboratory the Rudy L. Ruggles Biomedical Research Institute in his honor.

Ruggles’ gift will help researchers find better therapies and procedures for patients, according to a release.

“I am happy to be a part of the exciting medical developments that are being achieved at WCHN’s Research Institute,” Ruggles said in a statement. “The research is an important part of WCHN’s care evolution because it is focused on translational medicine — it is not research for the purpose of conducting research. The overarching goal is to ultimately improve patient care.”

Hospital officials did not provide the amount of the gift.

The 17,000-square-foot laboratory focuses on “translational research,” a method that applies scientific findings to create new therapies, medical procedures and diagnostics that benefit patients. The research has helped scientists better identify people at risk for diseases or those who are likely to resist certain treatment regiments.

At the lab, researchers are trying to learn how to detect Lyme disease sooner, develop a new screening process for people at high risk for pancreatic cancer and more.

Ruggles, of Ridgefield, has been a longtime supporter of Danbury Hospital and WCHN. He and his wife, Sally, were the first investors in the research institute, and Ruggles served as the founding chair of the institute’s Advisory Council. He will now serve as the chair of WCHN’s new Scientific Research Committee.

“Mr. Ruggles has truly been an invaluable partner in our quest to build a state-of-the-art research program in order to improve the current standards of patient care,” WCHN CEO John Murphy said in a statement. “His expertise and dedication have been essential to advancing our innovative translational research mission.”