Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation Signs Agreement with Qatar Foundation

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) has recently signed an agreement with Qatar Foundation. Qatar Foundation is comprised of over 50 entities and is a non-profit organization that supports work in education, research, and community development. Under the umbrella of Qatar Foundation's Research, Development, and Innovation division (QF RDI), the Qatar Genome Programme integrates genomic and omics data with phenotypic data from Qatar Biobank to facilitate precision medicine and effective health care for the Qatari population.

TIBI is a non-profit biomedical innovations laboratory which develops precision and personalized medicine through a number of research platforms, including personalized biomaterials, cells, physiological models, devices, implants, and nutrition.

The organizations share common goals in the areas of genomics and precision medicine and have framed these goals with both broad and specific aims. In a broader sense, they seek to develop a collaborative research and development program which promotes scientific discovery and medical insights, and addresses critical research and medical challenges on a global scale. These endeavors will be further supported by post-doctoral opportunities offered by TIBI for students graduating from Qatari universities.

"The crisis we face today underlines the need to accelerate the transition from a one-size-fits-all treatment that diseases can defy to tailored solutions that address health issues ranging from cancer to coronaviruses in a more effective manner – and advance precision medicine to the point where it is at the forefront of our healthcare systems," Dr. Richard O'Kennedy, Vice President for Research, Development, and Innovation at Qatar Foundation, said.

The organizations will focus on improving medical diagnostics and treatments which will leverage the nano-needle and organ-on-a-chip technologies developed at TIBI. One of the specific research projects planned for implementation involves a collaborative effort by TIBI and Qatar Foundation entities to explore the use of nano-needles for pain-free, minimally-invasive delivery of insulin to pediatric diabetic patients.

TIBI and Qatar Foundation will also develop plans to utilize TIBI's organ-on-a-chip technology; they will use it to conduct research via computer modeling or simulation, thereby increasing clinical trial testing that can be carried out without the need for human subjects.

"The Terasaki institute is not an ordinary research institution. We are moved by the idea that to achieve impact you must match science research with innovation and even entrepreneurship. It is the combination that accelerates translation and ultimately brings to life tomorrow's biggest solutions that will save lives. This is a shared vision with the Quatar Foundation and this relationship promises to unleash collaborations designed to bring to life solutions to some of the hardest biomedical problems for the benefit of humanity," said Maurizio Vecchione, Chief Innovation Officer at the Terasaki Institute.

"We are truly excited about this collaboration with Qatar Foundation," said Ali Khademhosseini, Ph.D., TIBI's Director and CEO. "We look forward to productive, impactful research from our efforts."  

The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (terasaki.org) is a non-profit research organization that invents and fosters practical solutions that restore or enhance the health of individuals.  The Institute is made possible through an endowment from the late Dr. Paul https://www.atcc.org/products/pcs-500-030I. Terasaki, a pioneer in the field of organ transplant technology.

SOURCE Terasaki Institute

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https://terasaki.org/institute/