BioCrossroads receives $2.2 million grant from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, Inc., to advance educational and community initiatives in Indiana's life sciences and healthcare sectors

INDIANAPOLIS, July 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --  BioCrossroads announced today the award of a $2.2 million grant from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, Inc. to advance key educational and community initiatives.  Through this significant multi-year grant (2013 through 2015), the Fairbanks Foundation, an Indianapolis-based, independent private foundation focused on the health of the regional population and the vitality of the Indianapolis community, reaffirms a critically important,  continuing commitment to BioCrossroads' mission to leverage Indiana's signature strengths in the healthcare and life sciences sectors.  

The grant will enable BioCrossroads' to extend its support for a variety of signature initiatives, including the Fairbanks Institute for Healthy Communities (the Fairbanks Institute), the Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE), and the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI) along with other projects driving regional improvement of human health through innovation and effective use of clinical information.

"Our community is fortunate to have the talented group of individuals gathered together at BioCrossroads to serve as catalyst, convener and supporter of a number of initiatives in the life sciences area, and we at the Fairbanks Foundation consider ourselves fortunate as well to be able to support their work," said Leonard J. Betley, Chairman and President of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation.

One of America's largest and widely utilized health information exchanges, IHIE earlier this year announced a collaboration with AT&T Healthcare Community Online to connect more regional hospitals and Hoosier doctors to the exchange in an effort to advance the meaningful, everyday use of electronic information in the delivery of healthcare within Indiana, and beyond. Additionally, IHIE recently launched ImageZone, a cloud-based medical image sharing service that reduces the time it takes to deliver x-rays and other radiology tests to the point of care.

The Fairbanks Institute conducts long-term studies of specific diseases that are common in the population of Central Indiana, combining the collection of biological samples with linked clinical information, and thereby creating a powerful research tool to develop diagnostic indicators and medicines for better patient outcomes.  The Institute has now banked samples and data from more than 2,000 Hoosiers for coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes studies.  The Institute is also in the process of expanding its research platforms into cancer studies, with additional studies underway in both acute myeloid leukemia and non-small cell lung cancer.

With major funding from the National Institutes of Health as well as regional philanthropic support, the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI) includes Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame, as well as public and private partnerships, has distributed more than $12.5 million in grants and awards to support outcome-driven research since 2008 and currently supports more than 80 full-time equivalent professional jobs across Indiana. At the end of July, the Indiana CTSI is spearheading a meeting of 17 Midwestern CTSI research institutions to discuss collaboration opportunities between academic and industry researchers.

"The Fairbanks Foundation continues to play a vital role in advancing the health of our community – through the improvement of health care as well as through driving economic growth," said David L. Johnson, President and CEO of BioCrossroads.  "The recent BIO/Battelle report recognized Indiana as one of America's leading centers for the life sciences industry.  This significant funding from our colleagues at the Fairbanks Foundation could not be coming at a better time, and will allow us to continue to serve as a catalyst to accelerate our existing efforts as well as jumpstart the work that still needs to be done."

To date, BioCrossroads has raised over $270 million in grant funds, contributions and capital investments to advance life sciences opportunities in Indiana.

About The Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, Inc.

The Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation (www.rmff.org), located in Indianapolis, Ind., was established in 1986 by the late Richard M. Fairbanks who was the founder and owner of Fairbanks Communications, Inc.  The Foundation is an independent, private foundation granting funds to qualifying tax-exempt organizations in the greater Indianapolis, Indiana area.  The Foundation has three primary focus areas:  Health, the Vitality of Indianapolis, and Sustainable Employment.  The Foundation seeks to fund initiatives and organizations delivering impactful solutions that address key challenges facing the Indianapolis community.

About BioCrossroads

BioCrossroads (www.biocrossroads.com) is Indiana's initiative to grow, advance and invest in the life sciences, a public-private collaboration that supports the region's existing research and corporate strengths while encouraging new business development. BioCrossroads provides money and support to life sciences businesses, launches new life sciences enterprises (Indiana Health Information Exchange, Fairbanks Institute for Healthy Communities, BioCrossroadsLINX, Datalys Center, and OrthoWorx), expands collaboration and partnerships among Indiana's life science institutions, promotes science education and markets Indiana's life sciences industry.

SOURCE BioCrossroads