FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 22, 2015
Office of the Governor
Contact: Brian Coy
Email: Brian.Coy@governor.virginia.gov
Inova Health System
Name: Kelly Schlageter
Email: kelly.schlageter@inova.org
George Mason University
Name: Renell Wynn
Email: rwynn3@gmu.edu
Gov. McAuliffe Announces Strategic Partnership Between Inova and George Mason University to Advance Personalized Medicine Translational Research
FALLS CHURCH, VA – Today Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced a strategic partnership between Inova, the largest health system in Northern Virginia, and George Mason University, the largest public research university in Virginia, to conduct translational research and share resources for the benefit of patients, the community and the region. This collaboration will advance Inova’s personalized health vision, and is expected to lead to new patient cures and treatments for a variety of diseases, and to new diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers and devices.
“By combining resources, Inova and Mason will place Virginia at the forefront of the fight against cancer, heart disease and other life-threatening illnesses,” McAuliffe said. “Biomedical research is also a pillar of the ‘New Virginia Economy.’ The work these two great institutions perform will spur opportunities for entrepreneurship, create new companies and generate jobs that will grow our economy and help us prosper.”
Mason and Inova are committed to making sure their people will have an opportunity to work side by side in shared facilities on both campuses. This includes establishing a Scientific Connector Facility and the Inova-Mason Proteomics Center. Both will be housed on the campus of the Inova Center for Personalized Health. Inova will have a physical presence on Mason’s Science and Technology Campus so its physicians and researchers can utilize Mason’s research capabilities and labs.
“This partnership establishes Northern Virginia as an epicenter for personalized medicine, attracting the best researchers and experts from around the country,” said J. Knox Singleton, Chief Executive Officer, Inova. “Together, Inova and George Mason University are investing in research and development to help keep healthy people healthy and provide precise, effective and personalized treatment to patients we are privileged to serve.”
Mason and Inova will establish a Personalized Medicine Public Policy and Ethics Institute, along with an endowed chair to support this initiative. The partnership will also include a fellowship program to recruit internationally recognized researchers and clinical investigators to both institutions.
“As Virginia’s largest public research university, we are committed to delivering research of consequence that improves lives, drives economic growth and helps solve the most complex problems of our time,” said Mason President Ángel Cabrera. “The partnership with Inova does just that and its impact will be felt for decades.”
“These discoveries and innovations will spur opportunities for entrepreneurship to bring new products and services to market. They will create new companies and new jobs that will help both the Commonwealth’s and Northern Virginia’s commitment to a robust economy focused on biomedical research, personalized medicine and other aspects of the future of health services,” McAuliffe said.
About Inova
Inova is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that serves more than 2 million people each year from throughout the Washington, D.C., metro area and beyond. Inova is a comprehensive network of hospitals, outpatient services and facilities, primary and specialty care practices, and health and wellness initiatives.
Inova encompasses the full array of health services, including the area’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We are home to many nationally and internationally recognized programs, including Inova Heart and Vascular Institute (IHVI), Inova Translational Medicine Institute (ITMI), and the Inova Dwight and Martha Schar Cancer Institute.
Inova is a global leader in developing and applying personalized health. Connecting researchers, clinicians and empowered consumers, we integrate genomic research for patient care, prevention and wellness. Our personalized health approach enables individuals to live longer, healthier lives.
More information and statistics about Inova is at www.inova.org.
About George Mason University
George Mason is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls nearly 34,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the last half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility.