New building will house state-of-the-art translational research facility for obesity and diabetes.
As the prevalence of diabetes continues to increase at alarming rates affecting more than 24 million Americans, the creation of the Florida Hospital – Sanford Burnham Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes (TRI) will take the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes and obesity to the next level.
Designed by Flad Architects, the state-of-the-art, 54,000-square-foot translational research facility will focus on the study of diabetes, obesity, and the metabolic origins of cardiovascular disease, bridging the gap between the research lab and the patient’s bedside – allowing for scientific discoveries and treatments to be developed more quickly and on a more personalized level.
“We are witnessing an epidemic of obesity and diabetes in the United States. Current statistics show that two-thirds of all Americans are overweight and obese and 1 in 12 has some form of diabetes,” said Dr. Steven Smith, scientific director of the TRI. “These staggering statistics call for decisive action and that includes innovative research. The main goal of the TRI is to generate new knowledge to improve lives through research.”
The TRI will bring scientists, clinicians, and the procedures necessary to facilitate translational research together under one roof. The three-story building will contain clinic space, testing rooms, medical imaging, a biorepository, chemistry laboratories, exam rooms, overnight observation rooms, and advanced technologies to develop personalized treatments.
This new research facility, expected to be completed by the end of 2011, will be a landmark building for Florida Hospital, and the signature building in their new Health Village in Orlando.
About Flad Architects
Flad Architects (http://www.flad.com) specializes in the planning and design of innovative facilities for healthcare, higher education, and science and technology clients. With headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, and offices throughout the United States, Flad is a nationally recognized leader in serving the complex needs of knowledge-based organizations.
About the TRI
The Florida Hospital-Sanford-Burnham Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes (TRI) is the product of an innovative affiliation between Florida Hospital and Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. By linking one of the largest not-for-profit hospitals in the country with a nationally renowned basic science leader, the TRI bridges the gap between the research bench and the patient’s bedside. The mission of the TRI is to extend and improve the quality of lives through the translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to the diagnosis and treatment of human disease. For additional information, please visit http://www.tri-md.org or http://www.floridahospital.com.
About Florida Hospital
Opened in 1908, Florida Hospital is a faith-based institution focused on providing whole person care. It is one of the largest not-for-profit hospitals in the country, caring for more than a million patient visits per year – that’s more than any other hospital in the country, according to the American Hospital Association. The more than 2,000-bed system is comprised of eight hospitals and 18 Centra Care locations throughout Central Florida. In 2009, Florida Hospital received the Joint Commission’s “Gold Seal of Approval.” Florida Hospital is also a two-time recipient of the Governor’s Sterling Award for performance excellence. For more information, please visit http://www.floridahospital.com.
About Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is dedicated to discovering the fundamental molecular causes of disease and devising the innovative therapies of tomorrow. Sanford-Burnham, with operations in California and Florida, is one of the fastest-growing research institutes in the country. The Institute ranks among the top independent research institutions nationally for NIH grant funding and among the top organizations worldwide for its research impact. From 1999 – 2009, Sanford-Burnham ranked #1 worldwide among all types of organizations in the fields of biology and biochemistry for the impact of its research publications, defined by citations per publication, according to the Institute for Scientific Information. According to government statistics, Sanford-Burnham ranks #2 nationally among all organizations in capital efficiency of generating patents, defined by the number of patents issued per grant dollars awarded. For more information, please visit http://www.sanfordburnham.org.
