NIH expands research consortium

BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 19 (UPI) -- The National Institutes of Health is expanding its consortium designed to transform U.S. clinical and translational research.

NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni said the expansion will enable researchers to provide new treatments more efficiently and quickly to patients.

Twelve academic health centers are being added to the 12 announced last October. When fully implemented in 2012, 60 institutions will be linked.

"As the consortium grows, we are fulfilling our charge to transform clinical and translational research," said Zerhouni. "Through collaboration and leadership, these sites are serving as discovery engines that can rapidly translate research into prevention strategies and clinical treatments for the people who need them."

The 12 new institutions are: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland; Emory University, partnering with the Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; the universities of Chicago; Iowa, Michigan, Washington, and Wisconsin; the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas; Vanderbilt University, Nashville; Washington University, St. Louis; and the Weill-Cornell Medical College partnering with Hunter College, New York.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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