Bartley P. Griffith, M.D., the Henry T. Bahnson professor of surgery, who had directed the McGowan Center for Artificial Organ Development since its inception in 1992, will play a major role at the new institute as medical director, continuing to provide vision and leadership of research that has helped the center to achieve world renown.

"This institute will be the most ambitious tissue engineering program in the nation, coupling biology and engineering in all facets of its work," stated Dr. Russell, whose primary academic appointment will now be in the school of medicine's department of surgery. "The University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Health System provide the perfect home for such an enterprise because of its leading programs in organ transplantation, biomedical research and bioengineering."

"One of the attractive features of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine is that it will enable cutting-edge basic and clinical research to be performed across disciplines, allowing organ and tissue engineering and cellular and regenerative therapies to be developed and swiftly evaluated in the clinical setting," added Arthur S. Levine, M.D., senior vice chancellor, Health Sciences, and dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

"We believe this institute is poised for national prominence. The Pittsburgh region, and more importantly, patients stand to benefit from the exciting developments we can expect to take place in the years to come," said Jeffrey A. Romoff, president of UPMC Health System.

The MIRM is expected to establish itself as a model for technology transfer. In addition, the institute plans to compete for major funding and to establish itself as a location for a National Tissue Engineering Center.

"The establishment of this institute is a natural extension of the McGowan Center's vision and missions, to ease the suffering
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Contact: Lisa Rossi
rossiL@msx.upmc.edu
412-647-3555
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
5-Jul-2001