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Glendoria
Elliott, Senior Research Technician, Genome Sequencing
Center, Washington University’s School of Medicine
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By Christine
Imbs
With the successes of its Genome Sequencing Center, Washington University’s
School of Medicine is considered a world leader in the life sciences.
Now through BioMed 21—a $300 million biomedical science initiative
to translate genome research, innovations in imaging, and translational
efforts into new medical treatments—the University is poised to
transform healthcare.
“Since BioMed 21 was announced, people here are really excited,”
says Larry Shapiro, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs
and dean of the School of Medicine. “They’re proud to be part of
an institution that isn’t just sitting back and waiting for the
next good thing to happen, but is going forth to chart new territory.”
Shapiro says the goal of BioMed 21 is to use data from the Human
Genome Project to rapidly advance treatment and diagnosis of human
illness and ultimately to prevent them from occurring. To meet this
goal, Washington University is creating three new interdisciplinary
research units that will span both the Medical and Hilltop campuses—the
Center for Genome Science for defining the genetic basis of important
diseases; the Center for Imaging Sciences, for creating innovative
ways to accurately diagnose illness and follow the effects of treatment;
and the Institute for Clinical Science, for performing state-of-the-art
clinical research and training the next generation of clinical investigators.
Also part of the plan is a new $150 million, 250,000-square-foot
research building to house the key components of these new units
and to serve as a catalyst for linking the basic and clinical sciences.
Currently in the design phase, the facility will be strategically
located on the School of Medicine’s campus in immediate proximity
to BJC, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the new Center for Advanced
Medicine, Siteman Cancer Center, and the new Farrell Learning and
Teaching Center.
“We now believe that some of the most important advances in medical
science will come through collaboration with a variety of individuals
including those from biology, physics, engineering, and computer
sciences,” explains Shapiro. “BioMed 21 will encourage the necessary
interaction by bringing together basic researchers, clinicians and
the Genome Sequencing Center. We believe this will not only redefine
how biomedical research will be conducted in the future, but how
medicine will be practiced.”
Since being announced in 2003, BioMed 21 is making some progress
toward this end. Between $10 and $12 million has been spent constructing
new laboratory facilities adjacent to the Genome Sequencing Center.
Shapiro says there are only two major genome centers in the world
with anywhere near the ability of Washington University’s to produce
large amounts of information.
“We hope to harness this high volume of information to create an
environment where scientists can work more closely with the sequencing
center to answer important disease-related problems,” he comments.
“Already, we are piloting feasibility studies looking at various
clinical projects that will be able to use genomic information.”
One study receiving a large grant from the National Institute of
Health (NIH) is looking at the genetic changes that have occurred
in a number of well-characterized Leukemia patients. Shapiro says
by better understanding the changes in the DNA of Leukemia cells
that make them Leukemic, better choices can be made when a patient
is diagnosed about the best drugs to use and in what dosages.
“Another example of a study receiving major support is personalized
medicine,” he adds. “We are investigating the genetic changes in
a person’s DNA that causes them to respond and to metabolize drugs
differently.”
BioMed 21 is also making some major changes in imaging research.
Currently under construction is the new Center for Clinical Imaging
Research which Shapiro says could help speed up the development
and evaluation of new drug treatments.
“Most of the imaging research done makes use of borrowed time on
some of the hospital’s very large and expensive machines such as
MRIs or CT and PET Scanners. This means these studies must be done
in between clinically vital studies in the evenings or weekends,”
he explains. “Also, because the equipment needs to be used for clinical
work, it can’t be tinkered with to get them to do something new
and better. So to get around those problems, we’re putting in a
whole floor of the hospital that will be devoted entirely to research
in using imaging studies.”
The entire project is expected to cost about $20 million for both
the facility and new equipment which will be used solely for research
purposes. It’s expected to be completed by the end of the calendar
year.
To further develop the clinical research infrastructure at Washington
University, BioMed 21 calls for reengineering its general clinical
research center. The center—a hospital unit—has been supported for
almost 50 years by the NIH. Shapiro says the NIH has recently awarded
three new grants which will partially fund the project.
“These grants are to support interdisciplinary training for new
clinical investigators who are a much different breed of scientist
than those of the past several years,” he says. “These individuals
need to not only understand the basic science, but also to speak
the language of clinical medicine, take care of patients and understand
how to conduct meaningful and thoughtful clinical research.”
In addition to creating ways for more interaction among researchers,
Shapiro says the University also hopes to develop partnerships within
the industry. “The reason is that in our society the ways in which
new ideas, products, drugs and devises eventually reach patients
is through commercialization,” he explains.
As a result, the University is working very closely with start-up
companies and major participants in the Center for Emerging Technologies.
Also, they’re integral participants in CORTEX, the Center of Research,
Technology and Entrepreneurial Expertise. A non-profit organization
whose goal is to help grow a life sciences industry in St. Louis,
it is a collaboration between Washington University, Saint Louis
University, the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation, the University
of Missouri-St. Louis, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. Washington
University has been a major funder and investor in CORTEX and will
be anchor tenants in the first CORTEX building.
As for BioMed 21, Shapiro says it not only means a great deal to
Washington University’s future, but to the region’s as well.
“Many cities across the country aspire to be hubs for biotechnology
and life sciences research. But I think here in St. Louis we have
some very unique attributes that should allow us to be successful,”
he says. “And, of course, that’s something the University is very
interested in. We want to contribute to our region, just as other
major research universities have contributed to theirs by helping
to develop new industries.” |
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