The Lerner Research Institute part of the Cleveland Clinic www.clevelandclinic.org along with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem www.huji.ac.il have joined forces to create the “Center for Transformative Nanomedicine” to revolutionize global healthcare. The two institutions have announced a five year commitment to raising $15 million-plus in first stage funding to establish a virtual center which will foster interdisciplinary research.
Joint fundraising efforts will be conducted through the current Cleveland Clinic’s “The Power of Every One” campaign and the American Friends of the Hebrew University www.afhu.org, a national nonprofit organization to raise support for the university in the U.S
Nanomedicine uses minuscule particles to deliver medications directly to select sites to prevent drugs from degrading in the body before they reach their intended target. This precision allows for administering large doses of drugs by releasing them at a specific site and only at that site. This will lead to fewer side effects than may occur with many traditional treatments.
Customized and carefully calibrated drug treatment offers the promise of greater effectiveness and patient safety. In addition, nanotechnology is used to create inexpensive devices that facilitate therapy and new ways for diagnosing disease to save time and reduce costs.
Plans are to present a research conference to be held in 2016/2017, where investigators will be able to find collaborators to develop joint projects and proposals in translational research. The conference attendees will be able to work towards finding appropriate external funding to support their research.
“We are honored to join with Hebrew University to advance the emerging field of nanotechnology,” said Toby Cosgrove, M.D., President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic. “The new Center will help develop novel therapeutics to improve longevity, enhance patient well-being, and provide dynamic solutions to global health concerns.”
A video is available at https://youtu.be/OtWWPID7mKM with interviews.