By Ray Dillon
The Cardiovascular Innovation Institute is the newest collaboration between the University of Louisville and Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare at the Louisville Health Science Center. The five story, multimillion dollar facility at 302 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd. opened last Thursday and offers expanded research facilities as well as training and administrative space with the very latest in cutting edge technology.
Approved by both U of L and the Jewish Hospital Healthcare Services Board in February 2003, the CII’s stated purpose is to constantly strive to improve the quality of life for heart failure patients through the development of bio-adaptive heart devices, new technologies for ventricular assist devices and artificial hearts and combination therapies aimed at cardiac regeneration.
“We want to provide an environment where ideas are shared and innovations are born,” said Dr. Laman Gray, who led the team that implanted the world’s first AbioCor heart.
While the facility has 125 employees and an estimated yearly payroll of $13 – $15 million dollars, there are numerous opportunities for U of L medical students.
“We have Ph.D.s and post-docs working here, and we offer internships as well as various opportunities that we strongly encourage undergraduate and graduate students to take advantage of,” said Gray.
“To a nerd, it’s awesome,” said Erica Wells a sophomore bioengineering major. “We have the opportunity to get training and real life experience here that other universities can’t offer in the field. It’s very cutting edge.”
Timothy Horrell, also a sophomore bioengineering major, said, “There’s more opportunity for outside the classroom, one-on-one, hands on work with professors. We have co-op opportunities that will lead to travel and exposure that is crucial to students seeking a career in the field.”
“We want to foster an environment that focuses on translational research, meaning that we want to take the best of what’s out there and bring it to bedsides across the world,” said Ronald Greenberg, executive director of the CII.
To achieve these goals, Greenberg said that the institute will focus on testing, clinical evaluation and development of bio-adaptive heart innovations and combination therapies, including heart assist devices, gene therapies, biofeedback sensors and related technologies.
Funding for the CII came from a $15 million investment by Jewish Hospital, $6.2 million in federal earmarks secured by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., a $4.2 million investment by U of L, a $5 million grant from Kosair Charities, of which $500,000 was dedicated to the facility, a $5.5 million grant from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and the Department. for Commercialization and Innovation, and $1.5 million from the Gheens Foundation, a portion of which will be used to equip a biosensor research laboratory.
“Remember, Dr. Ramsey was involved in the Bucks for Brains program that helped fund projects like this way before he was university president,” Greenberg said. “This facility gives the university an edge in that its state of the art technology and research environment will draw an even broader range of students and possibly a higher standard of would be researchers to the school.”
Greenberg said he hopes that the “global appeal” of the university will grow and benefit from the institute and its various research and commercial opportunities.
“With continuing support of this facility by President Ramsey and the university’s administration and faculty, the future looks promising,” Greenberg added.
