Caption: Dr. Frank Douglas, ABIA president and CEO
AKRON, Ohio – Leaders of the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA), State of Ohio, County of Summit and City of Akron today announced plans for the institute’s future headquarters in a soon-to-be renovated County-owned building, located at the corner of Main Street and Perkins Avenue and current home to the administrative offices of the County’s Department of Job and Family Services.
The institute will occupy the first three floors and the centerpiece of the nearly 40,000-square-foot space, scheduled to open in the summer of 2011, will be the Center for Simulation and Integrated Healthcare Education (CSIHE). The ABIA center will be a state-of-the-art healthcare training facility that will offer novel team-based, patient-centered simulation programs. Current and future healthcare professionals will explore advanced techniques and train on interactive and emerging technologies.
“The new facility represents a significant investment by ABIA, the State, the County and the City and reaffirms our founding partners’ commitment to making
The announcement coincided with Ohio Governor Strickland’s designation of
ABIA – a unique collaboration of Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron General Health System, Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, Summa Health System, The University of Akron and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation – was launched to accelerate research toward biomedical commercialization as well as improve prevention, treatment and disease management. In addition to pioneering the next generation of life-enhancing and life-saving innovation, ABIA further aims to secure the region’s economic future through the creation of 2,400 jobs within the next decade.
According to Bill Considine, ABIA Board of Directors Chair, “This investment is the next step in creating a world-class center for collaboration in biomedical research, education, commercialization and community health in the heart of
The estimated $10 million project is receiving significant support from the
Governor Strickland announced the State’s commitment to provide a research and development loan in the amount of $2.5 million to the project, directly as a result of the location of the facility in the Hub of Innovation and
“This collaborative effort will establish the ABIA as the cornerstone for biomedical training, research and development in
“I’m pleased that ABIA has made a commitment to locate in the center of
“This innovative project is important for the improvement and advancement of health care in
The new facility will be the catalyst for creating an additional 50 new jobs in the biomedical corridor within the next year. ABIA currently has more than 20 employees.
“We look forward to working closely with all our counterparts in
“We are excited about ABIA’s commitment to
The building, which also will include a large auditorium and public lecture areas, will allow for additional expansion as ABIA continues to grow. The Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy also will utilize a portion of the space as a center for community-based health initiatives and education programs.
The building also will include ABIA’s Center for Clinical and Community Health Improvement. Over time, ABIA’s
About the Austen BioInnovation Institute in
The Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA) – an exceptional collaboration of Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron General Health System, Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, Summa Health System, The University of Akron and The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation – is focused on patient-centered innovation and commercialization at the intersection of biomaterials and medicine. The strategic alignment of public and private support, accompanied with
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation advances journalism in the digital age and invests in the vitality of communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. Knight Foundation focuses on projects that promote informed and engaged communities and lead to transformational change. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org
Contacts:
Port Authority: Christopher Burnham, President, 330-762-4776, [email protected]
ABIA: Scott Rainone, ABIA Communications, 330-572-7581, [email protected]
State of
[email protected]