University of Miami has announced that it will construct the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute, using a significant gift amount received from Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation. The new multidisciplinary institute will develop nanotechnological applications for clinical use.
The Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation, which has been involved in a number of initiatives at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine for many years, has presently contributed a Momentum2 leadership gift amount of $7.5 million for naming after itself, the Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute at the University of Miami (BioNIUM).
Staff members from engineering and arts and science institutes of the University will work together with the researchers of Miller School of Medicine for developing nano biomedical applications.
The three-fold vision of the institute is to detect disease at the initial stage, to provide targeted delivery of specialized medicines and to restore organ and tissue functions.
The Chairman of the foundation, Gary Dix is happy to work with the University, where, together they have developed community, family health and human genetics programs. He added that working on nanotechnology to solve medical issues will be the next immense opportunity to work together with the university.
The institute is headed by Prof. Richard J. Cote, M.D., from the Miller School of Medicine and Joseph R. Coulter Jr, who chairs the Department of Pathology, a pathologist and nanotechnology expert. The co-director of the institute is Ram Datar, M.Phil., Ph.D., an Associate Professor in pathology, biochemistry and molecular biology and the associate director of the institute is Prof. Sylvia Daunert, Ph.D., Pharm.D., M.S., and Lucille P. Markey, Chair, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.