Major Gift to Create Collaborative Institute in Biomedical Nanotechnology
CORAL GABLES, Fla., Mar 27, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Propelled by a transformative gift from a longtime contributor, the University of Miami is announcing the creation of the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute, a collaboration of key scientific disciplines that will harness the field of nanotechnology for clinical applications.
The Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation, a steadfast champion of varied initiatives at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has now expanded its remarkable support of the University with a Momentum2 leadership gift of $7.5 million to name the collaborative Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute at the University of Miami (BioNIUM).
"With this gift, the University is poised to become an international leader in the exploding field of nanotechnology," said Donna E. Shalala, President of the University of Miami. "We couldn't be more pleased to have the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation as partners in this endeavor."
The institute will link investigators from the Miller School of Medicine with University colleagues from the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering to explore and develop novel applications of biomedical nanotechnology, a field in which scientists work with materials on a nanoscale -- less than one-millionth of a millimeter in size -- to diagnose and treat serious diseases.
Utilizing different approaches from physicians, physicists, engineers and chemists, the multidisciplinary institute's primary mission is three-fold: the early detection of disease, more targeted delivery of highly specialized treatments, and restoring tissue and organ function.
Gary Dix, Chairman of the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation, said, "The Foundation is very proud of its work with the University of Miami, where we have developed world class programs in human genetics and community and family health. We believe the next great opportunity is in the application of nanotechnology to medical problems, and are thrilled to participate in this ground breaking effort."
The institute is led by the Miller School of Medicine's Richard J. Cote, M.D., professor and Joseph R. Coulter Jr., Endowed Chair of the Department of Pathology, a renowned pathologist and acclaimed expert in nanotechnology. The institute co-director is Ram Datar, M.Phil., Ph.D., associate professor of pathology and biochemistry and molecular biology, and the associate director is Sylvia Daunert, Ph.D., Pharm.D., M.S., professor and Lucille P. Markey Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.