With the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Roadmap as a catalyst, the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences (NUCATS) Institute launches. Philip Greenland, MD, executive associate dean for clinical and translational research and Harry W. Dingman Professor of Preventive Medicine, directs the Institute, and William L. Lowe, MD, professor of medicine, serves as deputy director.
The NUCATS Institute is positioned to become the home base for clinical and translational science at Northwestern University and its clinical affiliates. The Institute will provide the infrastructure, services, and resources for maximizing and leveraging our interdisciplinary "bench to bedside" research. See the organizational chart below for details. Currently, opportunities to advance and support our translational research priorities are being recognized and seized. For example, Drs. Greenland and Lowe spearheaded preparation and submission of a 5-year Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) proposal to the NIH in November 2007. Translational research is recognized as a high priority at the NIH. Its CTSA program will drive the transformation of academic medical centers. A significant collaborative effort involving faculty from six Northwestern schools, as well as our clinical affiliates Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH), Children’s Memorial Hospital (CMH), Evanston Northwestern Healthcare (ENH), Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation (NMFF), and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) was used in creating the master proposal.
The Andrew Senyei, MD, Translational Research Awards, which were created through the generosity of medical alumnus and University Trustee Andrew Senyei, MD, also are coordinated through the NUCATS Institute. NUCATS, a largely virtual institute, will be a growing presence across campuses and clinical affiliates. That said, significant dedicated real space is associated with it. Construction was completed in spring 2008 on 10,000 square feet of redesigned space for NUCATS on the 11th floor in the Rubloff building on Lake Shore Drive on Northwestern's Chicago campus. This space houses the administrative core and several of the NUCATS research and educational programs. In addition, plans for the Center for Clinical Research are being created to occupy a new state-of-the-art 10,000 square feet clinical research facility in the Olson Pavilion of NMH. This will nearly double currently available space. | |
