A Medical Device Daily

Regional leaders in healthcare and education reported the creation of a new laboratory, to be housed in Grand Valley State University’s (Allendale, Michigan) Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences, that will bring women’s health research to downtown Grand Rapids.

The lab is a collaboration that includes Michigan State University (MSU; East Lansing) the West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative (WMSTI; Grand Rapids) and Grand Valley State University. Work is expected to begin by mid-February.

Leading one of MSU’s first Grand Rapids-based research endeavors will be Richard Leach, MD, MSU College of Human Medicine department chair for obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology. Leach is nationally recognized for research in the field of women’s health and reproductive biology, and his studies include conditions and diseases that affect women and fertility, such as endometriosis and miscarriage.

He is leading the MSU/Spectrum Health recruitment of a team of scientists and physicians who will address a broad range of research issues in women’s health in the new lab.

MSU researchers will have their own dedicated wet lab space, along with access to existing Grand Valley space that includes 100 key pieces of laboratory equipment.

This agreement marks another milestone for the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine expansion to Grand Rapids. In October, the college unveiled architectural renderings for the new Secchia Center, made possible by the support of Spectrum Health and the Grand Rapids community. Construction will begin this spring.

The Secchia Center will open in the fall of 2010 with a new class of 100 students. In the meantime, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine is completing renovation of a temporary site at 234 Division Avenue and will welcome 50 second-year students this coming fall.

In other new ventures, Mobile Imaging Development (MID; Las Vegas, Nevada) a healthcare management company providing management and consulting services to mobile diagnostic imaging providers reports the creation of Mobile Diagnostic Centers (MDC; Las Vegas), a limited partnership that will own and operate the mobile PET/CT scanners.

“We have formed this partnership to service the tremendous demand that we see in the marketplace for mobile PET/CT services” said Michael Blumenthal, president of Mobile Imaging Development. “The partnership’s initial focus will be in the southeastern U.S., where there is an increasing demand for digital imaging equipment in hospitals and outpatient facilities.”

Blumenthal added, “We see that there is a large gap between what large urban hospitals have compared to smaller hospitals and physician groups. Many smaller centers require PET/CT equipment and expertise, but lack the financial resources to offer these services to their patients on their own.”