MILWAUKEE – Feb. 28, 2023 – Today, the State of Wisconsin proposed a life-saving investment of $10 million to expand the Versiti Blood Research Institute (VBRI), located in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. This grant, made possible through the capital budget, would positively affect patients from across the globe who are battling cancer, clotting disorders, and other blood diseases. The proposed capital grant will be used to construct an addition to the existing VBRI facility to expand Versiti’s medical research capacity and advance life-saving medical discoveries, including better treatments and cures for blood diseases and cancers.
“Blood conditions, such as leukemia, thrombosis, sickle cell disease, and hemophilia, have no geographic boundary. They impact every community in Wisconsin,” said Chris Miskel, president and CEO of Versiti. “We are grateful to Governor Evers for including this investment in his Building Commission capital budget proposal and look forward to working with the Legislature to continue to advance this critical project through the remaining steps of the budget process.”
VBRI is recognized as one of the world’s premier blood health research centers, attracting attention from the international scientific and health communities, as well as national organizations and federal agencies, such as the Department of Defense. The proposed critical expansion would promote the discovery of life-saving therapies for a broad range of conditions impacting the health of residents across the state, nation, and world. Outcomes from the VBRI have led to higher-quality treatments, improved patient outcomes, and life-altering medical discoveries, as well as reduced costs for hospitals and hospital systems and other healthcare providers.
“Our researchers have helped pave the way for innovative discoveries that have made a difference for patients with cancer, bleeding and clotting disorders, and more,” said Dr. Michael Deininger, EVP and chief scientific officer of the Versiti Blood Research Institute. “The state’s investment will be a catalyst to attract additional federal and private funding research, allowing for the Versiti Blood Research Institute to evolve with the speed of science and accelerate our pace of research.”
The VBRI’s excellence spans five primary areas of basic, clinical, and translational research, including:
· Transfusion Medicine & Cellular Therapy
· Thrombosis & Hemostasis
· Biology
· Immunobiology
· Translational Hematology
Work conducted at VBRI has led to several life-saving discoveries, such as the technology that enabled organ transplantation between unrelated individuals, which significantly increased organ transplant opportunities nationwide. Another example is research conducted for the Department of Defense on treating soldiers who suffer hemorrhages on the battlefield using various therapeutics, including hemostatic powders, innovative gauzes, and transfusable platelets/blood clotting agents. Versiti also conducts research to develop cures for all Americans, especially for those suffering from cancer.
The proposal will next go before the Wisconsin Building Commission and, if approved, will be reviewed by both houses of the legislature before being signed into law by Governor Evers. Versiti looks forward to engaging the Building Commission, legislative leadership, the Joint Committee on Finance and legislature at large to ensure the provision’s inclusion through the budget process.
Versiti, headquartered in Milwaukee, has more than 2,000 employees at its locations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. For more information visit Versiti.org/InvestingInHope.
