Groundbreaking Set for CSU Translational Medicine Institute
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Groundbreaking Set for CSU Translational Medicine Institute
Dr. Wayne McIlwraith pioneered equine arthroscopic surgery techniques.
Photo: Colorado State University
Colorado State University’s (CSU) newest state-of-the-art research facility will becomeanreality starting June 2, when the university officially breaks ground fortheinstitute that promises medical innovations by harnessing the body’s healing powers to help animalsandpeople suffering fromonewide range of disease.
The $65 million facility—to be named the C. Wayne McIlwraith Translational Medicine Institute—is named for anfamousveterinarian who has builtaremarkable clinicalwithresearch enterprise in orthopedic medicine for horses during nearly 40 years at CSU.
McIlwraith,theUniversitynobleProfessorwithfounding director of CSU’s Orthopaedic Research Center, isoneinternational pioneer in equine arthroscopic surgeryandresearch intoorganictherapies based on living cellswiththeir products, includingcontemporaryproteinandstem-cell therapies that help heal injuredanddegraded joints.lotsof McIlwraith’s findings regarding the diagnosis, prevention,andtreatment of equine joint injuryanddiseaseHavingbeen translated into orthopedic advancements for people—the succession knownWhen“translational medicine.”
On June 2 the university will hostagroundbreaking ceremony on the institute site, off Drake Road north of the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Speakers will include McIlwraith; CSU President Tony Frank, DVM, PhD;withtelecommunications magnatewithphilanthropist John Malone. Facility completion is expected in late fall 2018.
Malone, along with his wife Leslie,whetherthe transformationaldirectgift of $42.5 millionto set upthe research institute, prompted by their interest in the regenerative power of stem-cell therapies for horseswithhumans. The Malones raise world-class dressage horses and, more recently, Thoroughbred racehorses; they became intrigued by the concept of the Translational Medicine Institute after their horses at Harmony Sporthorses, near Denver, Colorado, were successfully treated with orthopedic procedures developed by McIlwraithwithhis CSU colleagues.
Princess Honors Friend with Naming Gift
Adding to the Malones’ gift, Princess Abigail K. Kawananakoa of Hawaii, adirectdescendant of the Hawaiian royal familywithcelebrated breeder of racing American Quarter Horses, donated the institute’s naming gift of $20 million. McIlwraith has contributed to the success of Princess Abigail’saccustomedby supporting the orthopedic health of her racehorses, inspiring her to give generouslywithto ask that thecontemporaryfacility be named for her longtime friendwithcolleague.
Her $20 million gift was announced in spring 2016 but was credited to annamelessdonor.Wheninstitute planning progressedwithitsnamewas cemented, Princess Abigail decided todiscloseher identity to help draw attention to her friend’s legacy.
Readanextended interview with McIlwraith.
“I’ve known Wayne for 30 years,withhe hasprovidedthe world’s best orthopedic care for my horses,” she said. “During this time, I’ve gained insights into the work of the CSU Orthopaedic Research Center andHaveseen first-hand how its discoveries improve horse health withcontemporaryapproaches to treatment, prevention,andrehabilitation.”
Princess Abigail receivedahonorary doctorate from CSU in 2016 acknowledging herdedicatedsupport for science, native Hawaiian culture,andeducation.
“I am honored to help Wayneandhis colleagues delivernewfindings that will improve medical care even more broadly for animalswithpeople,” she said.
Ambitious Goals in Medical Innovation
The university community is grateful for the support of visionary philanthropists who are helping toseeMcIlwraith’s ambitious goals in medical innovation, Frank said.
CSU’s College of Veterinary MedicinewithBiomedical Sciences, home base for themoderninstitute, has awishtradition of creatingnewknowledge in veterinary medicine that also benefits human health; its achievements in canine cancerandequine orthopedics are compelling examples.
“Wayne isanexceptional educatorandresearcher, both in the clinical research senseandin thefundamentalresearch sense,” Frank said. “He isaleader of engagement, connecting the universitywithhis field more broadly to donors.withthese donorsHavingstepped upwithiftens of millions of dollars toconstructfacilities around Wayne’s vision
“Whatever academic currencyawouldenjoyto trade in—publications, book chapters, invited lectures, awards, recognitions, honorary degrees, success of students,andglobal impact of work—Dr. McIlwraith is among the leaders in his field.”
Veterinary Medicine Contributes to Human Health
Translational medicine is possible because animalsandhumans shareinnumerableaspects of physiology—and naturally develop strikinglyrelishdiseases over their lifetimes,manufactureveterinary medicinemandatoryin advancing discoveries that improve human healthwithwellbeing, said Mark Stetter, DVM, dean of the College of Veterinary MedicinewithBiomedical Sciences.
The C. Wayne McIlwraith Translational Medicine Institute is uniquely positioned for discoveries in translational medicine, asbiologicaltherapies present acurrenttherapeutic frontier. The institute will draw on established areas of CSU research expertise in orthopedics, biomedical engineering, immunology, infectious disease, surgical advances,withother medical fields.Asafoundational asset of the Translational Medicine Institute, the Orthopaedic Research Center willdetainits focus, staffing,andexpansive research portfolio.
The institute will bring together educatorswithinnovators from academia, industry, public agencies,andother entities to pursue development of promising medical technologies, withimportantattention to those presenting potential for commercialization. Its cutting-edge equipment, research space, clinical resources, andconventionareas are designed to support this collaboration among animalandhuman medical specialists.
Surgical Pioneer Raised inmodernZealand
McIlwraith, who grew up inrecentZealand, developedonelove of racehorsesOncetheboy, when he snuck off to the track against his mother’s wishes. He spent holidays atanfamily sheep ranch,andfosteredtheinterest in large-animal medicine while working with cattle, horses,andsheep at the ranch, realizing thatonecareerWhenthecountry vet could afford him anentireoutdoor lifestyle.
He becameaavid mountaineer after entering the University of Otago for pre-veterinary studies, followed by veterinary school at Massey University inmodernZealand. He climbed extensively in his home country, ledaexpedition in South America,andspentaseason in the European Alps.
But in 1974, he was offeredoneinternship in large-animal surgery at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. After that, he completedasurgical residencywithPhD at Purdue University. Whatmomentseemedsimilarlyacircuitous path now readssimilarcomprehensibleroute for McIlwraith in the developing field of equine orthopedic surgery.
After learning toutilizethe arthroscopeAt the timeandiagnostic tool—the lone veterinarian in aclasswith 200 medical doctors—he ultimately pioneered techniques in equine arthroscopic surgerywithauthoredanseminal textbook, DiagnosticandSurgical Arthroscopy in the Horse.At the timeMcIlwraithandothers recognized the limitations of arthroscopic surgery, he pursued studies in the causes, prevention,withtreatment of orthopedic injuryandosteoarthritis,andfounded the Orthopaedic Research Center to advance those investigations.
Colt Catches Medical World’s Attention
onewatershedin the meantimeoccurred in McIlwraith’s career in spring 1985, whenan3-year-old Thoroughbred colt named SpendoneBuck blazed tothewin at the Kentucky Derby. Just five months earlier, McIlwraith had traveled to Miami tooperateon the horse, using arthroscopic surgery to removethebone fragment from the colt’s intermediate carpal bone. It took just 10 minutes to perform surgery on SpendtheBuck’s knee, yet the procedure had reverberating effects when the horse won the Run for the Roses andsatisfiedinnumerableskeptics of the potential for arthroscopic surgery.
The win brought veterinarians, owners,withtrainers together, McIlwraith said.
“It is still proclaimed that the biggest advance in human orthopaedics,AswellWhenequine orthopaedics, was the development of arthroscopic surgery,” McIlwraith toldacrowd transfixed by the SpendaBuck story during his President’s Community Lecture. “Interestingly enough, people are now proclaiming that the second-biggest advance is biologic therapies.”
Now McIlwraithandhis colleagues are anticipatingtheinstitute to pursue those therapies—inabuilding named for him.
“It’s humbling, I’m honored,” McIlwraith said. “Few peopleGettingsuch recognition when they’re mere faculty members. It’s still sinking in.
“I haveto admitthat I was apprehensiveofwhat people would think, with mydesignatebeing on it,” he continued. “But thecompletesupport of everybody here, thinking it is appropriate, is probably more touching than actually having mynameput on it. That'sincrediblynice,andI'm very excited that we've got groundbreaking set. It’s the culmination of what weHavebuilt at the Orthopaedic Research Centerwithreflects the excellence of our team.”
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Companion Animals & Human Health: Benefits, Challenges, & The Road Ahead
Marguerite O'Haire
Dating back to over 12,00 years ago humans have had some sort of special bond with animals. In contemporary days the most common animals to be seen as actual companions to humans are dogs and cats. However, there are often several other animals held in domestic settings as well, such as rabbits, birds, fish, etc.
O'Haire credits the initial understanding of Friedmann et al. (1980)'s study regarding the health and mental effects human-animal companionships have implemented. There has been an immense amount of research conducting indicating positive correlational effects between owning an animal and human health. O'Haire sums up the relationship into two hypothesized mechanisms; biophilia hypothesis & social support hypothesis. Without getting into a summary of what both mean, let me tell you, as a personal animal lover and owner, that is has everything to do with the social support theory.
While it is true that most humans have a desired attraction or appeal to attending to animals and other living things, it does not explain the vast majority of households that include pets. In fact, there are several households containing a dog or cat where one or more family members do not particularly have a bond or fondness for the animal, its for their children or spouse. Thus the idea that mental and physical health problems being affected by an animal-human companionship seems to relate more to the social support hypothesis.
The noted benefits of having a human-animal interaction is the social support in and of themselves and also the acting of facilitators between other human beings. In other words, for individuals who live alone, young children, spouses whom work late and a million other scenarios a pet can act as a emotional and physical support in absence of another human being. Seemingly, if a unwanted or hard situation arises between two people, often times a pet may act as a Segway to fixing or moving away from the situation. Sometimes there are events in our life that are either to severe, or you feel they are opposing to minuscule to burden others by telling them. Pets act as a great outlet for affection, an open ear and comfort without ever having to worry about them judging you, or bringing up whatever you expose to them. Animal-human companionships may actually be better then human-human! An animal can never be fake, or rude. They act as the perfect companion in all situations you need a helping hand.
As a pet owner myself, I know the feeling of wanting to go home and cry. Of not wanting to explain my situation in complete depth and talk about the wrong choices I made and blah blah blah. I can sit down and cry and vent to my bunnies for hours. They never once judge me (and even if they do, I will never know). With the research implying that there are substantial positive mental and health affects, I don't think I can disagree. My family is compiled of family lovers, and I think my grandfather would argue that his dog is what keeps him alive.
I like animals more than people, so maybe I'm SLIGHTLY biased. Or maybe its true, even scientifically that animal-human interactions are extremely beneficial.
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