Indiana University is teaming up with Indiana Biosciences Research Center to create what they are calling a "joint center of excellence" to develop better personalized care for patients with diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and pediatric rare disease.
The two institutions said in a joint statement Wednesday the operation will be called The Joint Center of Excellence for Point of Care Precision Medicine. At its launch, about 15 people will be working on initiatives related to the joint center.
The new center is an extension of the $250 million investment in bioscience that IU announced in October 2023.
The institutions are using the term "point of care" to emphasize that a standard dose of a certain medicine distributed to tens of thousands of patients might not be the right approach for a single patient. That's because differences in a patient's DNA can result in different types of response to treatment, or no response at all.
"What we are trying to do is target a personalized medicine to a specific patient at their point of care," Russ Mumper, IU vice president for research, told IBJ. "This approach may transform health care, one patient at a time."
Founding members of the joint center will include the IU School of Medicine, Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, and IU Indianapolis' Convergent Bioscience and Technology Institute, Institute for Human Health and Wellbeing and Integrated Nanosystems Development Institute. The consortium could add new members as it grows.
"Our partnership with IU builds on several years of exciting collaboration and progress," said Alan Palkowitz, president and CEO of the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, in written remarks. "With the establishment of the new center of excellence, we aim to enhance our strategic efforts in advancing scientific research, patient care and the life sciences economy.
Jay Hess, dean of the IU School of Medicine, said the joint center is a continuation of research and science taking place on the medical school campus.
"This center will speed the translation of research to benefit patients in Indiana," he said in written remarks.
Indiana Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg added that Indiana has built a leadership reputation in life sciences due to collaborations across universities and industry.
"This new partnership between Indiana University and the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute will establish a world-class center of excellence to advance new solutions, talent development and innovation in precision medicine, solidifying the central role of Hoosiers in creating the life-changing medicines and technologies of the future," he said in written remarks.
The new center aims to work across disciplines to discover and develop new technologies, therapies, diagnostics, manufacturing processes at the point of care, predictive data systems and clinical research.
It also aims to become a "one-stop shop" for partnership with pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical devices companies, and help launch startup ventures.
Mumper said IU and IBRI have been collaborating for more than a decade on a number of funded projects.
"The launch of the center recognizes the importance and potential of this opportunity," he said. "So we've decided to launch an actual center because we believe a visible collaborative center can improve patient outcomes through awareness and new partnerships."