Research is playing a growing role in health care as innovations in technology and science become increasingly sophisticated. While much of the research is being performed at life sciences organizations and research hospitals, community-based hospitals such as Martin Memorial Health Systems have a substantive, vital role.
For much of the past decade, Martin Memorial has focused its research capabilities on oncology clinical trials. Since 2001, more than 50 cancer trials have been conducted at the Robert and Carol Weissman Cancer Center, through its affiliations with Moffitt Cancer Center, oncology cooperative groups and pharmaceutical clinical trials.
However, in the past four years there has been tremendous growth and development in life sciences on the Treasure Coast. Martin Memorial is a member of the Tradition Center for Innovation at Port St. Lucie, which includes Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute (VGTI Florida) and the Mann Research Center. Martin Memorial’s proposed hospital in west Port St. Lucie is located at the heart of the Tradition Center for Innovation.
As a result, Martin Memorial has begun to expand its research operations to other disciplines. The health system is already collaborating with life sciences organizations, including a research study with VGTI Florida to investigate how the body’s immune cells react to exposure to a viral infection such as the flu, either by immunization or by infection with the virus itself. The study hopefully will allow researchers to better understand the reaction the body has against the virus.
Last month, the two organizations began partnering on new research that will study white blood cells in healthy patients, which can provide researchers with information on the immune system.
Martin Memorial is also partnering with local physicians on cardiology and rheumatology studies that could have significant impacts on local patient populations. Clinical research will remain a key element in Martin Memorial’s efforts to improve the treatments and lives of people in the community, both now and in the future.
