presentation to vric: global genomics & bioinformatics ... · 5/24/2017 · commercialization...

Presentation to VRIC: Global Genomics &

Bioinformatics Research Institute (GGBRI)

May 24, 2017

Agenda

• Global Genomics & Bioinformatics Research Institute (GGBRI)

• Capital Request

• Recruitment Request

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GGBRI Overview

Virginia as a Global Life Sciences, Research & Commercialization Leader

Commercial Life Science Companies

Clinical Services

Translational Research

Entrepreneurs Venture Capital

Accelerators

Biomedical Sciences Research + University

and Commercial Partners

Engineering: Biomedical, Mechanical,

Materials Sequencing

Computational Science

Bioinformatics Big Data

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GGBRI Strategic Objectives

• Improve the health of all Virginians

• Form collaborative partnerships that fully leverage and integrate, rather than duplicate, the strengths of Virginia’s health, research, and scientific assets from Virginia’s research universities and the commercial sector

• Partner with NSF, DOD, NIH and other research sponsors to leverage new research and innovation to drive regional and statewide economic development

• Attract the world’s most outstanding eminent research scientists to Virginia as part of a globally leading life science and research ecosystem

• Leverage new scientific discoveries and intellectual property into new drugs, devices, and novel therapies

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ICPH Campus

Clinic A

Cancer Institute B

Research - GGBRI C

Technology D

Conference Center E

A B

C D

E

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Strategy and Focus

• GGBRI Mission − The overarching mission of the Institute is to improve the quality of the human

condition and its environment

• Five key areas of research − Genetics and Genomics, understanding how the genome regulates its function in

health and disease

− Structural Biology of Disease/Systems Approach

− Developmental Biology

− Computational Biology

− Biomedically Directed-Engineering

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Institute Design

• Retained HDR, an internationally leading healthcare and research design and architecture firm

• Examined other U.S. and international research institutes for design best practices

• Developed core design principles: – Space flexibility – Space that facilities active collaboration – Space that includes key shared cores, including a biorepository

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Governance

• Established the GGBRI as a Virginia non-stock corporation; anticipate seeking tax exempt status

• Named Dr. John Niederhuber as GGBRI CEO

• Created an initial five person Scientific Advisory Committee (Dr. Margaret Shupnik, Dr. Steve Rich, Dr. John Niederhuber, Dr. John Deeken, Dr. Deborah Crawford)

• Intend to establish an External Advisory Committee of nationally and internationally recognized scientific leaders

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Update on Collaborative Partnerships

• Inova-UVA signed MOU; held research retreat; established $500,000 joint seed fund for collaborative research – 27 proposals received, funded nine; GGBRI collaboration for Institute renovations and build out, Institute planning, and recruitment

• Inova-GMU signed MOU; GGBRI collaboration for Institute renovations and build out and for development of proteomics core

• Inova-VCU research retreat held; GGBRI collaboration for recruitments and programs and pharmacogenomics research collaboration based on UVA/VCU discussions

• Inova, Virginia Tech, UVA analytics retreat held with interested commercial partners; working to establish predictive analytics partnership

• Inova, UVA, and VCU co-hosted the V Foundation’s “Virginia Vine” cancer research event • UVA introduced the GGBRI partnership at the MedImmune BioHealth Capital Region Forum

and the Cavendish Institute and the Cavendish Global Health Impact Forum • Met with VEDP to discuss commercial partnership recruitment opportunities

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Capital Request for Lab Renovations and Enhancements (Budget Item 478.20 A.2.)

Statutory Requirements

• Partnering Entities (Budget Item 478.20.B.1): Inova Health System, University of Virginia and George Mason University.

• Vetting Process (Budget Item 478.20.B.2): The Institute’s Bylaws establish a Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) with responsibility to review the initial plan for lab renovations and enhancements and/or research equipment to ensure that the renovated facilities and equipment will support state of the art research in the areas of genetics, functional genomics, functional biology, biology driven engineering, bioinformatics, personalized medicine and related translations research. Such vetting has taken place and the unanimous action of the SAC approving such plan is documented in our funding request.

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• Matching Funds (Budget Item 478.20.B.3-4)

– As reflected in Inova’s Letter of Commitment included with our funding request, Inova Health System has committed to contribute a minimum of Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000) to be used for the Capital Project (renovations, enhancements, and build out)

– As reflected in their respective Letters of Commitment included with our funding request, UVA and GMU have committed to collectively contribute a minimum of Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000) to be used for the Capital Project, at least half of which is from New Resources.

• “New Resources” – None of these funds have been appropriated by the General Assembly for some other purpose, and none are being re-purposed for the Institute.

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Design – Selection of HDR

• HDR selected through a competitive qualification & interview process • HDR qualifications:

– #1 Healthcare Design Firm • Modern Healthcare (for 13 consecutive years: 2003-2016) • World Architecture Survey and Building Design + Construction

– #1 Science & Technology Design Firm • Building Design + Construction • +250M SF research space completed

– 9 Lab of the Year Awards from R+D Magazine • 2016 Special Recognition for Design for University of Texas MD Anderson, Zayed Building for Personalized

Cancer Care

• National experts in translational health sciences lab facilities – UVA School Of Medicine MR #4 Building

• Extensive experience in adaptive reuse and renovation projects 14

Design Concepts

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• Applied best practices from state of the art research labs:

– MD Anderson BSRB

– UCSF Diller Cancer Center

– Moffitt Cancer Center

– Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center

– UT MD Anderson, Zayed Building for Personalized Cancer Care

• Generation of ideas facilitated by: – Collaborative work environments that foster

teaming and open communication

– Ease of traveling between spaces (e.g., internal stairwells vs elevators)

– Mix of spaces to work together or alone

– Technical walls for image visualization and display

– “Work cafés” as impromptu meeting spaces

Design Process

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70% / 30% Target Ratio

Wet Lab 70% Office / Dry Research 30%

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Research Building – Stacking Diagram

• xxx

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Research Lab Floor – Concept Plan

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Biorepository

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[In progress]

Timeline

• Base Building Concept Design Complete:

9/2/16 Schematic Design Complete:

11/11/16 Design Development

Complete: 12/13/16

Conceptual Development Construction Pre-Development & Demolition

• Base Building Construction Permits: 7/03/17 – 8/28/17

• Base Building Construction: 9/18/17 – 6/12/18

• Tenant Improvement Permits: 1/3/18 – 2/27/18

• Tenant Improvement Construction: 2/28/18 – 12/31/18

• Tenant Occupancy: 12/31/2018

• Base Building Design CD Preparation: 1/23/17 –

4/14/17 Demolition Bids: 5/22/17 –

6/02/17 Demolition Permitting:

6/05/17 – 6/23/17 Demolition: 6/26/17 –

10/30/17 • Tenant Improvement Design

Schematic Design: 2/6/17 – 6/16/17

Design Development: 6/5/17 – 9/8/17

Construction Documents: 9/18/17 – 1/23/18 21

Estimated Budget

Total rentable SF in the GGBRI is 201,736 SF

Architecture & Engineering $ 7,381,000 Construction $ 79,591,000 Fixtures, Furnishing & Equipment $ 3,500,000 Permits & Inspections $ 4,924,000 IT Infrastructure $ 7,060,760 Research Computing $ 2,500,000 Project Administration $ 4,121,000 General & Administrative $ 1,753,000 Total $ 110,830,760

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Request

• Request: That VRIC approve the parties’ funding request in the amount of Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000) for lab renovations and enhancements and/or research equipment as provided in Budget Item 478.20.A.2.

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Recruitment Request (Budget Item 478.20 A.1.)


• Partnering Entities (Budget Item 478.20.B.1): Inova Health System, University of Virginia and George Mason University.

• Vetting Process (Budget Item 478.20.B.2): The Institute’s Bylaws establish a

Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) with responsibility to review the initial researcher recruitment to ensure that it is scientifically appropriate for the Institute. Such vetting has taken place and the unanimous action of the SAC approving such plan is documented in our funding request.

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• Matching Funds (Budget Item 478.20.B.3-4)

– As reflected in Inova’s Letter of Commitment, Inova Health System has committed to contribute Sixteen Million Dollars ($16,000,000) to be used for the Recruitment Project

– As reflected in their respective Letters of Commitment, UVA and GMU have committed to collectively contribute Eight Million Dollars ($8,000,000) to be used for the Recruitment Project, at least half of which is from New Resources

• “New Resources” – None of these funds have been appropriated by the General Assembly for some other purpose, and none are being re-purposed for the Institute.

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Research Focus and Cores

Gap Analysis and Research Focus The research focus for the GGBRI has been developed through multiple collaborations and an analysis of the strengths and gaps of Virginia’s research universities and Virginia’s commercial health, life sciences, and bio sciences industries, including:

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• A research summit involving leadership and scientists from UVA and Inova. The summit was led by two facilitators with purpose of identifying what GGBRI recruitments would be accretive and or strengthen existing programs.

• Significant engagement with GMU researchers in the area of proteomics and other genomics related fields • A research summit involving VCU leadership (including President Rao and VP of Research, Prof. Frank

Macrina), VCU scientists and Inova leadership and scientists discussed opportunities for involvement and scientific collaboration.

• Numerous visits to the ICPH campus by scientific leadership from research institutions and the commercial sector.

• Numerous discussions with national and international research leaders to look beyond today to where science is leading us.

• Dr. Niederhuber’s visits to meet with the Director of the Wyss Institute at Harvard, the Director of the Institute of Systems Biology in Seattle, WA. and NIH Intramural Genomic Scientists regarding the future opportunities in genetics/genomics sciences.

Genetics and Genomics

• Genetic and genomic regulation of the functioning genome

• Understanding DNA repair mechanisms and their regulation

• Understanding specific regulation of gene transcription via DNA binding proteins

• Understanding the role of DNA repeats in subsequent mutations and disease risk

• Regulation of gene expression

• Methylation, chromatin heterochromatin regulation

• Regulation of chromosome organization

• Regulatory mechanisms in splice variation

• RNA editing and RNA determined regulation of gene expression

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• Genomic medicine

• Phenotyping clinical conditions

• Advancing molecular pathology/diagnostics

• Supporting translational research in humans

• Developing models of disease risk and progression

• Characterizing in-vitro models of disease

• Developing specific gene therapies

• Utilizing longitudinal disease cohorts

Research Focus Clinical Research Opportunities

Structural Biology of Disease/Systems Approach

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Research Focus Clinical Research Opportunities • Protein-DNA interactions

• Translational regulation and protein modification

• Gene-environment interactions

• Gene-microbiome interactions and disease

• Metabolomics

• Gene-behavior interactions and disease

• Mechanisms of aging

• Subcellular imaging

• Integration of anatomic imaging and gene expression

• Acute injury repair

• Infectious disease resistance

• Metabolomics

• Endocrine organ system function

• Lipid metabolism and obesity

• Maternal fetal medicine congenital defects, preterm birth, autism

• Childhood obesity

• Biomarkers of disease and targets for drug discovery

• Neural development in childhood

• Ischemic brain injury and recovery

• Cognitive degeneration

Developmental Biology

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• Embryogenesis and genetic regulation of in-utero development.

• Protein conformational switches in development and disease

• Genetic regulation of chromatin folding

• Neuro-glial interactions in the developing brain

• Regulation of asymmetric cell division

• Stem cell biology

• Maternal fetal biology and medicine

• Still birth causes

• Causes of very early and extreme pre-term birth

• Understanding the basis of inherited disease risk

• Placental biology and its role in fetal development

• Development of diagnostics and therapeutics applicable to gestation and fetal development

• In utero fetal interventions


Computational Biology

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• Bioinformatics

• Large scale data harmonization and integration

• Data standardization and analytics

• Mathematical modeling of complex systems

• Modeling of cellular communication pathways

• Signal transduction

• Subcellular real time imaging algorithms

• Modeling of drug-gene interactions

• Analytics to support large scale genomic and proteomic data sets

• Integration of molecular imaging and genomic/proteomic data sets

• Integrating applications of machine learning into large scale data sets

• Computer engineering for next generation biology

• Subtyping of complex disease phenotypes at the molecular level

• Development of computational models of disease and care delivery

• Clinical and genetic models of disease risk

• Models of progression from risk and wellness to measurable signs of disease

• Developing invitro genomic based disease models

• Developing specific gene therapies


Biomedically Directed-Engineering

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• Biomechanical modeling

• Developing technologies for genomic research

• Developing in vitro-systems utilizing computer driven micro circuitry, microprocessors, microfluidics, molecular motors, single molecule tracking, protein modification technology

• Developing real time imaging systems for subcellular molecular imaging

• Developing micro systems robotics

• Developing in-vitro microsystems to support 3-D tissue growth on a micro chip for drug assays and drug development

• Development of biosensors for human use in translational research and in actual care

• Applications of system engineering

• approaches to disease specific translational research

• Preclinical drug development assays and modeling systems

• Refining tools and methods for intrauterine interventions and monitoring

• Developing models and tools to assist work in tissue regeneration and transplantation


Shared Research Cores and Resources • Biorepository • Flow Cytometry & Immune

Monitoring • Next Generation Sequencing • Microscopy and Imaging • Proteomics – Mass

Spectrometry • Histology/ Pathology • Cell / Tissue Culture • Nuclear Magnet Resonance

(NMR) • Cellular/Molecular Assay • Genomic Extraction • Genome Editing 34

• Cell Model • Bioinformatics / Biostatistics • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)* • Walk-in Cold Room* • Freezers Room* • Glassware/ Autoclave* • Fume Hood Alcove*

* Also distributed on typical lab floors

Core – Proteomics Mass Spectrometry

• The proteomics core lab represents a scientific collaboration between GMU, UVA and Inova

• Principal investigators are Thomas Conrads Ph.D. (Inova) and Chip Petricoin Ph.D. (GMU)

• Core facility will be located in the GGBRI • Recruitment of key scientific personnel is included in the “Recruitment

Request”

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Researcher Recruitment

Researcher Selection Criteria

• Target individuals with robust research teams, which would include a lead scientist and additional exceptional junior and mid-career scientists that bring specific scientific expertise to the team.

• Seek investigators from across disciplines who work in one of the five aforementioned research thematic areas and who have the ability to reach across scientific disciplines and develop successful collaborations both within the Institute and with industry.

• Hiring decision will be made on the basis of past and potential future success of the lead investigator and their team as a whole.

• Candidates must have a PhD, MD, or MD/PhD advanced degree, and an established independent research laboratory with a strong history of exceptional extramural funding and publications.

• Selected lead scientists will be expected to run an extramurally funded research program in which post-doctoral fellows and graduate students will play major roles.

• Scientists who have commercialization experience.

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Recruitment Vetting Process

• The Institute will identify accomplished scientists in one of the five research focus areas as potential candidates and coordinate the recruiting of such scientists with the partner academic institutions (UVA, GMU, VCU, Virginia Tech, ODU, and William & Mary), who will employ the researchers.

• The recruitment process will follow the policies and procedures governed by the applicable academic institutions with respect to search committees, faculty appointments and ratification by their boards.

• The institutions will follow the researcher criteria established by the Institute for selection of faculty.

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Request

• Request: That VRIC approve the parties’ funding request in the amount of Eight Million Dollars ($8,000,000) for one-time incentive packages to attract high performing researchers with a history of commercialization as provided in Budget Item 478.20.A.1.

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Discussion