The Iowa First Campaign to raise $500 Million for medical research, care and training at the University of Iowa is well on its way to meeting its goal with $314M already pledged. The 7-year campaign will run through June 2013 and is being managed by the University of Iowa Foundation to benefit the Roy and Lucille Carver College of Medicine and UI Hospital and Clinics.
The $500M Iowa First Campaign has these earmarks:
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center: $55 million
- UI Heart and Vascular Center: $50 million
- Aging and Related Diseases: $20 million
- UI Children’s Hospital and Pediatric Medicine: $100 million
- Visual Sciences: $100 million
- Neuroscience: $100 million
- New Frontiers: $50 million
- Medical Education: $25 million
The campaign is also designed to secure significant funding for high-risk, high-yield medical research at the University's new Pappajohn Biomedical Research Building. Scheduled for completion in 2014, the impressive $122.5 million facility will add approximately 250,000 gsf of research space to UI Medical, including:
- 8 floors dedicated to the research mission
- 198,000 gross ft2 of space
- 15,000 ft2 foot imaging facility
- 15,000 - 30,000 ft2 dedicated to high-risk, high-gain product-oriented research
Doctors say vigorous exercise is good for your health, but in the case of UI's philanthropic student body, it's good for Pediatric Health too.
This past April, in honor of a $1M donation from the University Dance Marathon student organization, the University of Iowa dedicated these renovated labs in its Med Labs building: the University of Iowa Dance Marathon Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Research Laboratories.
Every year, UI students dance for 24 hours straight (no caffeine, no sitting down) to raise funds to "provide year-round support to youth cancer victims and their families," according to the Mission Statement on the Dance Marathon website. Many of the families who benefit from the group's dedication participate as well, along with UI employees and community members. All are kept afoot for the duration of the big event with the aid of DJs, live theater groups, other live entertainment, and some motivational speechifying.
The Dance Marathon is in its 17th year now. In that time it has raised $9.8 Million for pediatric oncology programs at the UI Children's Hospital. The next 24-hour event is scheduled for February 2012, and the pledge drive has already begun.
If you are a biomedical researcher, lab manager, or lab supply vendor in the Iowa City area, the Biotechnology Calendar Inc. BioResearch Product Faire Front Line tradeshow event, now in its 9th year, is an excellent opportunity to meet and network with life science professionals and see the latest in laboratory tools in a streamlined show environment.
The 2011 Iowa BioResearch Product Faire Front Line Event is being held September 22 at the University of Iowa, Iowa City.
