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Published 11\/11\/22 in Bethesda Magazine | Bethesda Beat <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Montgomery County, state and federal officials joined partners from University of Maryland\u2019s medical system in North Bethesda to sign an agreement Thursday that establishes a health computing center to North Bethesda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the memorandum of understanding, the county is providing $15 million in fiscal year 2023 \u2014 and $5 million in each of the following years, through fiscal year 2028. The agreement also states that $3 million will be needed from the federal government for fiscal year 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
County officials and University of Maryland Medical System officials said during a embargoed news briefing with reporters on Wednesday that the agreement would be a game-changer for the region, as it builds on the life sciences core within Montgomery County. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The institute will be located near the North Bethesda Metro station. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It will focus on health computing, using virtual and augmented reality, and connecting with local federal health institutions to \u201ccatalyze a clinical data science ecosystem at North Bethesda that draws FDA and NIH investigators, and faculty, medical bioinformatic educational programs and students, and industry partners, allowing expansion of computational \u2018dry\u2019 laboratories, virtual meeting rooms and classrooms,\u201d according to the agreement<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe work that they\u2019re going to be doing is of national significance,\u201d Elrich told reporters during an embargoed press briefing on Wednesday. \u201cThis isn\u2019t a small college doing an interesting small college project, this is the kind of work that is transformational.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Amitabh Varshney, Dean of the University of Maryland\u2019s School of Computer, Mathematical and Life Sciences, said the facility would directly employ about 100 people, including investigators (grant providers), researchers, data scientists, visualization experts and students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The investigators are important, because they can bring considerable grant money to do important research in the field, whether it be in cancer research or helping diagnose and treat long-term issues, like kidney failure, said Dr. Mark Gladwin, dean of the University of Maryland Baltimore\u2019s School of Medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gladwin said about 30 percent of the money to run institutes like this one is \u201chard money,\u201d meaning direct government money and other start-up funds.. The remaining funds come from the investigators who want to offer grant money to pursue specific research, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s been interest from pharmaceutical companies, health care companies and consulting companies, to get involved in the project, Gladwin said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elected officials and university partners spoke during a signing of the memorandum of understanding atop the rooftop at 909 Rose Avenue, as construction workers hammered away at building a high rise office building across the street. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
University of Maryland Medical System President and CEO Mohan Suntha said the agreement is what can occur when local government and university partners share a common vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe very proudly describe ourselves because of this partnership as a health system that is an academic health system,\u201d Suntha said. \u201cWhat that really means is that we take on the responsibility of thinking about today and defining the chores of tomorrow. While we are delivering the care today, we take on the responsibility of educating the future healthcare workforce.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
County Council Vice President Evan Glass said the agreement is a microcosm of how far the North Bethesda area has come in recent decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust a few years ago, this used to be a big parking lot with a Toys R Us, and look at it now,\u201d Glass said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s uncertain what office space the institute will be in, but Glass and other elected officials said it will hopefully help spur future development, including near the North Bethesda Metro station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Liz Price, vice president of real estate and parking for WMATA, told Bethesda Beat in an interview that the agreement for the institute is important because it secures $10 million for infrastructure improvements needed for mixed-use development on the 12 acres next to the station. That will be used for things like sidewalk and road improvements, Price said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Price added that WMATA envisions some sort of mixed-use development on its property. With the agreement, it\u2019s not unreasonable to expect some sort of project happening in the next five to 10 years, she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bill Tompkins, president\/CEO of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corp., said that the institute should also spur further opportunities in the hospitality sector, general health care industry, cybersecurity companies, and nonprofit arena. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tompkins said Elrich deserved a lot of credit for the agreement, despite some political opponents saying economic development is not his greatest strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen you think about the complexities of our university system, where you\u2019ve got multiple partners \u2014 getting them aligned is not a slam dunk,\u201d Tompkins said. \u201cYou have to give Marc Elrich another degree today as our economic development leader. Because even though his reputation is that it\u2019s not his primary focus, he personally made a lot of this happen.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Facility Will Directly Employ 100 People, Including Students<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":13230,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[196,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-in-the-press"],"yoast_head":"\n