September 12, 2003
What's Past is Prologue for Indiana Medicine
Science, Art and a Centennial Make For a Big Week of Events
INDIANAPOLIS - Yesterday and tomorrow will converge in a series of significant
events at the Indiana University School of Medicine during the last week
of September. The week will begin with a Centennial celebration on Sept.
23 and continue with the installation of a major new Chihuly sculpture.
It will conclude Sept. 30 with the dedication of a new research center
-- and an ambitious plan for expanding the School's research mission.
On Tuesday, Sept. 23, the School will launch its statewide celebration
of its centennial. Each of the School's nine campuses has a large part
to play in the School's 100th birthday bash. The birthday celebration
kicks off a series of year-long events called Centennial Celebration…
advancing medicine since 1903. The first medical school class of
18 students began their coursework on the Bloomington campus in 1903.
Since that time, the School has grown to become the second largest medical
school in the nation, educating nearly 1,200 students annually.
At noon, Dean D. Craig Brater, MD, will recognize students, faculty,
staff, special guests and directors of the Centers of Medical Education
at the Indianapolis, Bloomington, Lafayette, Evansville, Muncie, Terre
Haute, Fort Wayne, South Bend and Gary campuses. Each center director
will speak to the congregation at all centers, and everyone will be able
to view the activities at their sister campuses via polycom linkup.
After a proclamation from the governor's office is read, it's slicing
time. Each center has a birthday cake fashioned in the shape of Indiana
with stars denoting the locations of the nine medical education centers.
The cake at the Indianapolis campus is four feet wide by eight feet long.
Dedication of Research II
Some believe the real icing on the medical education cake is in scientific
investigation. Improving human health and providing optimum medical therapies
does not occur in a vacuum. Such goals are built on careful, collaborative
and creative research at the IU School of Medicine. And such goals are
the cornerstones of the Research II facility, which will be dedicated
Tuesday, Sept. 30. The dedication will mark the start of a new era of
investment in, and expansion of research at the IU School of Medicine.
The glass-and-brick design of Research II blends with existing architecture
of the surrounding Ruth Lilly Medical Library, IU Hospital, Indiana Cancer
Research Institute, Riley Hospital for Children, Wishard Memorial Hospital
and the VanNuys Medical Science Building.
Housed in this facility are the Stark Neurosciences Research Institute,
Walther Oncology Center, Indiana Center of Excellence in Biomedical Imaging
and the Indiana Center for Biological Microscopy.
Nearly half of the 128,215-square-foot building is dedicated to laboratory space and supporting scientific areas. Construction of the facility was made possible by a $16 million gift from Dr. Paul and Carole Stark to establish the Stark Institute; Clarian Health Partners contributed $10 million and the Riley Children's Foundation also donated $2 million.
Chihuly Sculpture Unveiled
Symbolic of DNA - the so-called blueprint for life - a glass sculpture
nearly 19 feet tall will be dedicated on Tuesday, Sept. 30, in the Mills
Atrium of the VanNuys Medical Sciences Building at the IU Medical Center.
The luminous structure depicts the double helix strand designed by internationally
acclaimed artist Dale Chihuly and contains more than 1,000 colorful orbs
of glass, representing the components of heredity and genetic instructions
for growth, development and replication in all living organisms.
The unveiling of this unique work of art is in conjunction with the dedication
of the Research II facility.
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Media Contacts:
Mary Hardin
mhardin@iupui.edu
Eric Schoch
eschoch@iupui.edu
Joe Stuteville
jstutevi@iupui.edu
317-274-7722
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
A STATEWIDE
RESOURCE
Phone
317 274 7722
Fax
317 278 8722