WASHINGTON, DC—Researchers, biomedical engineers, and clinicians from the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation have moved into new state-of-the-art collaborative research space at Children’s National Medical Center.
The new 22,000-square-foot institute is located on the top floor of Children’s National, at the Sheikh Zayed Campus for Advanced Children’s Medicine. An “Institute without Walls,” the floor plan breaks down traditional research silos by creating open concept, modular areas that can adapt to changing priorities and allow research teams to easily connect with their neighbors. Key features include easy pass-throughs from traditional wet labs to bioengineering spaces, research offices, and meeting rooms, walls of glass instead of plaster, and curved whiteboard Innovation Walls at key gathering places to foster the sharing of ideas.
“This effort, and the concept for this research space, is centered around the people who work here,” said Kurt D. Newman, MD, senior vice president of the Sheikh Zayed Institute and the Joseph E. Robert, Jr., Center for Surgical Care. “This Institute is a perfect example of how vision, collaboration, and philanthropy can come together to benefit children around the world, and it’s exciting to see these ideas come to life in the new space.”
The translational research space houses basic science laboratories, bioengineering facilities, technology equipped conference rooms, and office space for business development and education experts, all in close proximity to the clinical facilities of Children’s National. The new research area incorporates the ideas and needs of the Institute’s faculty and is designed based on a synthesis of national and international best practices in team science and advanced technology laboratory models. Sustainable and energy efficient design principles were applied throughout the space, which has a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council currently pending.
“In September 2009, we laid out a bold vision for changing pediatric surgical care for children globally,” said Peter Holbrook, MD, interim president and CEO of Children’s National. “This research space is the next significant milestone – the brightest minds in research and clinical care are coming together here with the technology to further that vision.”
The Sheikh Zayed Institute, which aims to make surgery more precise, less invasive, and pain free for children, was made possible by a $150 million gift from the Government of Abu Dhabi on behalf of the people of Abu Dhabi.
Contact: Jennifer Stinebiser, 202-476-4500