State Invests $4 Million in UVA FUS Center

Published:

The Commonwealth of Virginia has dedicated $4 million in the state budget over the next two years to support the University of Virginia (UVA) Focused Ultrasound Center.

This investment will have an incredible impact across the state, accelerating progress toward new cures, attracting additional funding, and stimulating the economy and jobs. The additional resources will enable UVA to remain on the cutting edge of focused ultrasound progress, continuing research in movement disorders and expanding into areas like enhancing immunotherapy for breast cancer and non-invasive treatment for epilepsy, back pain, osteoarthritis, thyroid nodules, prostate cancer and more.

UVA is at the forefront of the rapid advancement of this non-invasive medical technology, having been the first site in the world to use the technology to treat a patient with essential tremor and the first in the US for Parkinson’s disease. 

“UVA biomedical discovery is all about improving the human condition,” said Richard Shannon, MD, Executive Vice President, Health Affairs at the University of Virginia. “The state has been enormously generous in this public-private partnership. As a state agency, UVA can be a vehicle to help translate both philanthropic support and important taxpayer money into better lives for citizens across the Commonwealth and beyond.”

“The Focused Ultrasound Center positions the University and Virginia at the epicenter of medical technology development, which improves the state’s reputation for innovation, enhances quality of life and creates jobs for the future,” said William Howell, Speaker of The House of Delegates.

“We are looking forward to continuing to collaborate with the 12 departments and more than 60 clinicians and scientists at UVA conducting critical pre-clinical and clinical research,” said Neal F. Kassell, MD, Chairman of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. “This has been a very strategic investment by the commonwealth – the $11 million state contribution to date has attracted additional funding from the public and private sector in excess of $18 million.”

The UVA FUS Center of Excellence was established in 2009 through a partnership with the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, UVA, Insightec, and GE. The Center serves as a collaboration hub for multidisciplinary, interdepartmental teams who perform patient care, research and teaching to advancing the field of focused ultrasound. See video of the visit from Newsplex >

Additionally, in response to the visit, Dr. Kassell wrote a Letter to the Editor of the Richmond Times Dispatch describing the far-reaching impact of the funding.

 

Posted May 2016