When students arrive at Indiana University, they are encouraged to dream big. With IU’s recent Grand Challenges award, researchers at IU are given the same opportunity to pursue lofty goals.
Anantha Shekhar, IU associate vice president of clinical affairs, was the first recipient of funding from IU’s Grand Challenges Program. Shekhar’s team of researchers will receive $120 million over the next five years for its Precision Health Initiative. At Monday’s announcement, Shekhar stated that in the next 10 years, his researchers will cure one cancer and one childhood disease. He said they’ll also find ways to prevent one chronic illness and one neurodegenerative disease.
Shekhar’s Precision Health Initiative was one of five finalists selected by IU for the first round of the Grand Challenges program, which will provide $300 million for research to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. The Precision Health Initiative has a goal to “position IU among the leading universities in understanding and optimizing the prevention, onset, treatment, progression and health outcomes of human diseases through a more precise definition of the genetic, development, behavioral and environmental factors that contribute to an individual’s health.”
It’s impressive that Shekhar made such a bold statement, but it seems that IU has taken a leadership approach to solving bigger problems. Getting research money is only part of the solution as IU has decided that collaboration is a key component to making Shekhar’s goals become a reality.
The approach has already found some success. Shekhar shared the story of a man with cancer who was given six weeks to live. Researchers at IU’s School of Medicine used genetic sequencing to find a successful way to treat the man.
IU Vice President of Research Fred H. Cate said the initiative is an example of how collaboration helps a diverse team come together to take on bigger problems. This initiative includes partnerships with companies such as Eli Lilly, Roche Diagnostics, Cook Regentec, Deloitte, Regenstrief Institute and IU Health.
Of the 21 preliminary proposals, five were chose due to their strength, but Cate said the Precision Health Initiative had a clear objective.
“Most treatments have to be turned into products. That’s why we’re working with industry, to get stuff out faster,” Cate said.
When it comes to solving big problems, it’s good to see IU taking the lead and pushing for real solutions.