NorthShore University HealthSystem Receives $1.5 Million Gift to Establish Center for the Study of Complex Diseases

$1.5 million gift supports new Center for the Study of Complex Diseases within the NorthShore Research Institute. End Quote

Chicago, IL (1888PressRelease) March 07, 2011 - NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) Foundation has received a $1.5 million gift for the creation of the Center for the Study of Complex Diseases. The development of the Center, which is being established within the NorthShore Research Institute, is made possible through a generous gift by Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Keyser of Glencoe, Ill., through the Keyser Family Research Fund.

"This Center represents our desire to encourage creative interdisciplinary problem solving to better understand the actual cause and effect underlying disease mechanisms in ways that go beyond statistical correlations," said Mr. Keyser, NorthShore Board Member and Chairman of the Research Institute's Board of Directors. "Patients and their families will benefit from this gift as it will help create a world of new treatments for those who share common genes"

Under the leadership of Eli D. Ehrenpreis, MD, NorthShore Department of Gastroenterology and Leopold G. Selker, PhD, President of NorthShore Research Institute, the Center will focus on dynamic systems modeling, one important tool to gain insights into complex disease processes and further enhance scientific inquiry at NorthShore. The Center's work will initially focus on modeling of new therapies for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, two forms of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The Center will later expand to areas including oncology, medical genetics, diabetes/metabolism and cardiology.

"Using sophisticated computer simulation and dynamic systems modeling we can track the effects of a disease on different parts of the body, monitor the ways systems in the body interact, and measure the pharmacokinetics of drug therapies," said Dr. Ehrenpreis

To date, Dr. Ehrenpreis' use of computer models in ulcerative colitis have paved the road for more patient-friendly drug regimens to improve patient compliance and drug effectiveness. These types of studies translate into better quality of life for patients with gastrointestinal diseases. In this work, Dr. Ehrenpreis has been using the Structural Thinking Experiential Learning Laboratory with Animation (STELLA) program. This software system will be utilized by the Center for further investigative efforts. Originally developed for industrial process applications, the icon-oriented STELLA program has found wide use in fields as diverse as business, psychology, environmental science, biology, ecology and resource management. Research in the Center will be among the first that utilize this technique in the field of medicine.

"We are most grateful to the Keyser family for their generosity, passion and vision," says Dr. Selker. "Medical science will feel the impact of this gift: a dynamic systems approach to inflammation will help forge the tools needed to discover the causes and treatments of a multitude of diseases."

For more information about the Center for the Study of Complex Diseases or ways to support the leading edge research being conducted at NorthShore University HealthSystem, please call (224) 364-7214 or visit northshore.org/foundation.

About NorthShore University HealthSystem

Headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) is a comprehensive, fully integrated, healthcare delivery system that serves the Chicago region. The system includes four hospitals in Evanston, Glenview, Highland Park and Skokie. NorthShore employs approximately 9,000 and has 2,400 affiliated physicians, including a 650+ physician, multispecialty group practice with 75 office locations. Further, NorthShore supports teaching and research as the principal teaching affiliate for the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.

The NorthShore Research Institute focuses on clinical and translational research, including leadership in outcomes research and clinical trials. The NorthShore University HealthSystem Foundation is a leading philanthropic entity of NorthShore. It raises charitable contributions, engages volunteer friends and invests in community partnerships.

NorthShore has significant capabilities in a wide spectrum of clinical programs, including cancer, heart, orthopaedics, high-risk maternity, pediatrics and neurosciences. NorthShore is a Magnet recognized organization, the only one in Illinois designated as a system to receive this prestigious honor that demonstrates excellence in nursing and high standards in patient care. NorthShore is a national leader in the implementation of innovative technologies, including electronic medical records (EMR). In 2003, NorthShore was among the first in the country to successfully launch a system-wide EMR with demonstrable benefits in quality, safety, efficiency and service to patients. NorthShore has been recognized by multiple national organizations for this notable achievement.

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