Dear Friends and Colleagues,
In November 2019, Virginia Tech and Children’s National Hospital built on their vision of an enhanced partnership between the two organizations by announcing plans for locating Fralin Biomedical Research Institute cancer research teams at the new Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus in Washington, D.C.
The vision calls for a collaborative ecosystem to facilitate the development and translation of discoveries to help save and extend the quality of children’s lives through joint research requiring new faculty recruiting, opportunities for student training, collaborative research projects, shared programs, and more.
The partnership includes Children’s National Hospital, whose new campus on the grounds of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center houses the programs; Virginia Tech, through the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute; Johnson & Johnson JLABS; and the federal government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
We are excited to see that vision coming into focus. Some recent highlights include:
- At the Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance Retreat and the inaugural symposium on AI (artificial intelligence) for Pediatric Health, both held at the Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus, we brought together a wide range of researchers and clinicians to explore the future of medicine and the need for pediatric-specific innovation. At the AI event, we also announced seed funding supported by Children’s National and Virginia Tech to kick-start high-potential projects.
- Children’s National and Virginia Tech also are building out the educational component of the partnership by coordinating a graduate course in developmental neurobiology accessible to not just our students, but those at multiple D.C.-area universities.
- We are in the midst of our first joint recruitment for a faculty research team leader in collaboration with Children’s National. The successful hire will bring expertise in the mechanisms and application of focused ultrasound for therapeutic approaches to treat brain cancer.
- We are also recruiting for a senior cancer researcher to lead the program and another early-career faculty member to expand our pediatric cancer research portfolio. These faculty will have access to many of the Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus facilities, clinical data, and the connections and collaborations that come with being in the nation’s capital.
- The new hires will join our existing pediatric brain cancer researchers, Jia-Ray Yu and Kathleen Mulvaney, who are both actively recruiting for research associates, graduate assistants, postdoctoral scholars and technicians. In addition to our senior administrator, Katherine Tsitouris, we are also further building the support infrastructure by recruiting new staff members to the site for student engagement, program coordination, and laboratory management.
- To support future growth, we will soon begin renovations that will increase our existing pediatric cancer research space to accommodate additional faculty-led research teams.
There is more to come. We are excited to be part of creating one of the nation’s premiere pediatric research centers with one of the world’s best pediatric hospitals.
Yours truly in the spirit of Ut Prosim,
Michael J. Friedlander, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Vice President for Health Sciences and Technology, Virginia Tech
Senior Dean for Research, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute attracted media attention for its growth in Washington, D.C., and was highlighted in a special report on economic development in the Roanoke region. Discoveries in pediatric therapy also received coverage in the scientific press.
- Michael Friedlander was featured in a Buzz4Good production highlighting the role the arts play in the economic development in Roanoke.
- The Roanoke Star highlighted the Institute's growth and expansion in Washington D.C. while featuring Jia-Ray Yu's work in diffuse midline glioma, the most aggressive form of pediatric brain cancer.
- In addition, Sharon Ramey and Stephanie DeLuca's work in intensive pediatric rehabilitation was featured in Scienmag, Bioengineer, Zephyrnet, and News Medical.
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Here's how you can support the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute in advancing human health through science:
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