History
With a growing number of groundbreaking research projects, Carle Foundation
Hospital is ushering in a new era of translational research – with the goal of
becoming a national leader in the field by 2010. Working with scientists at the
University of Illinois, Carle aims to transform health care by taking the latest
scientific ideas and turning them into practical applications at the bedside.
This isn’t Carle’s first foray into scientific study. Dr. Cesare Gianturco,
the noted Carle Clinic radiologist who went on to help develop the stent, set
the standard for exploring better ways to deliver health care in the 1940s and
‘50s. Throughout the ensuing years, Carle Foundation Hospital and Carle Clinic
physicians have been involved with hundreds of clinical trials and countless
specific research projects including:
- Dr. Cesare Gianturco – device development
- Dr. Ralph Nelson – denning bear research
- Dr. Michael Goldwasser – MRI imaging and development of prosthetic
materials
- Dr. Michael Novak – cochlear device research
- Dr. Daniel Picchietti – NIH Grant and other sleep studies
- Carle Cancer Center – multiple treatment and prevention protocols (about
160)
- Carle Heart Center - multiple device and drug studies
But now, we’re taking a very deliberate and focused approach. Carle
Foundation Hospital currently funds more than 20 projects related to breast
cancer, aging, cardiology, gastroenterology, imaging, information technology,
diabetes and genomic research. To help fund these projects, Carle recently
added research to its budget – earmarking $6 million over the next three years
for scientific study.
A Research Partnership
The University of Illinois, one of the premier research institutions in the
world, has long been known for basic research. But recently, it had begun to
shift some of its focus to more unfamiliar territory: translational research.
With little experience in that area, the University sought help finding
practical applications for its work, especially in the medical field.
The Hospital recently agreed to fund a project conducted by the University’s
National Center for Supercomputing Applications that would use the supercomputer
as an early -warning system for bioterrorism or infectious disease outbreaks. We
are also looking into another NCSA collaboration involving breast cancer
imaging.
In addition, many Carle physicians are working side-by-side UI scientists on
a number of projects. For example, Dr. Michael Goldwasser is collaborating with
University engineers on new ways to reconstruct and reengineer bones. Dr. Eugene
Greenberg is participating in research on the source of gastroenterology
diseases. And Dr. Abraham Kocheril continues to work with UI scientists on a
variety of electrophysiology projects.
A Nationally Recognized Research Hospital by 2010
These projects are just the beginning. Carle aims to become a nationally
recognized research hospital – a goal we hope to achieve within four years. |
