The Querrey Simpson Charitable Foundation has gifted $10 million to Northwestern University to open a center for carrying out research in the field of regenerative nanomedicine. The facility will be named The Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Center for Regenerative Nanomedicine after its benefactors, Louis A. Simpson, member Trustee at Northwestern, and his wife, Kimberly K. Querrey.
The Center will be located within Northwestern’s Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine (IBNAM). Led by Director Samuel I. Stupp, IBNAM has carried out collaborative research in nanomedicine for tissue regeneration over the last decade. The research involves the engineering of nanostructures that can not only be used for treatment of diseases but can also be used as novel diagnostic devices. Stupp’s team has come up with several nanomaterials for aiding regeneration in the central nervous system. These can provide new therapies for various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, spinal cord injuries and stroke. Their other areas of work include treatment for diabetes, regeneration of heart tissues post infarct, regeneration of bone and cartilage. Stupp’s team already works in alliance with numerous clinical faculties. The new center would facilitate the forging of more such collaborations with experienced researchers around the world to develop practically applicable therapies that would improve the quality of human life.
Bold and novel ideas often find no takers for lack of sufficient data to justify the need for major investment. However, Simpson and Querrey stated that Northwestern’s effort in the area of Nanoscience and in particular, nanomedicine which aimed to improve people’s lives, was the inspiration behind their contribution.
Source: http://www.northwestern.edu