From the lab to the patient

The Center for Translational Research and Education (CTRE) is a vibrant new addition to Loyola’s Health Sciences Campus. This state-of-the-art facility brings together the Stritch School of Medicine, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, The Graduate School, and Loyola University Health System on an exciting cooperative journey with one unified goal—the rapid translation of fundamental science discoveries into real treatments for human health.

Visit the Health Sciences Research Page

From the lab to the patient

The Center for Translational Research and Education (CTRE) is a vibrant new addition to Loyola’s Health Sciences Campus. This state-of-the-art facility brings together the Stritch School of Medicine, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, The Graduate School, and Loyola University Health System on an exciting cooperative journey with one unified goal—the rapid translation of fundamental science discoveries into real treatments for human health.

Visit the Health Sciences Research Page

Inside the Center for Translational Research

  • 1Auditorium  265-seat auditorium will be home to University events, community forums, lectures, and more. State-of-the-art acoustics and lighting also make it an ideal location to host other events and seminars.

    290-seat classroom  This large classroom provides ample room for collaborative learning, large lectures and seminars, and guest speakers.

    On this floor  Oncology has dedicated researchers committed to the discovery of the causes of cancer. They’re examining signal transduction and experimental therapeutics, tumor immunology and immunotherapy, gene regulation and epigenetics, and stem cell biology.

  • Auditorium (1)

  • Floor 1

  • 12
  • 1Cancer Center Bridge  This bridge connects the research building with the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, bringing physicians and researchers together to provide top-notch translational research and patient care.

    2Atrium  The two-story atrium promotes interaction and collaboration between scientists and researchers who may not typically cross paths. This space also provides room for studying, impromptu meetings, and lunch breaks.

    On this floor   Infectious Disease and Immunology researchers are a uniquely integrated scientific community for researchers that study bacterial/viral diseases, host-pathogen interactions, cellular immunology, inflammation, immune response to injury, hematology/oncology, and transplantation.

  • Cancer Center Bridge (1)

  • Floor 2

  • 12
  • 1wet lab space  These are traditional lab spaces used for conducting experiments with chemicals, drugs, and other biological materials. The labs are open and allow for collaboration between scientists.

    2dry lab space  Dry lab spaces are used mostly for creating computer-generated models and statistics and used to analyze biological data. Our Public Health Sciences department utilizes many of these labs.

    On this floor   Infectious Disease and Immunology researchers are a uniquely integrated scientific community for researchers that study bacterial/viral diseases, host-pathogen interactions, cellular immunology, inflammation, immune response to injury, hematology/oncology, and transplantation. The Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing researchers focus on social context, stress, and epigenetic determinants of health, health disparities, prevention and self-management of chronic diseases, and optimizing outcomes in education and practice. Burn and Shock Trauma consists of a unique community of scientists and clinicians devoted to the study of traumatic injury. Programs include both clinical and laboratory research relevant to trauma injury and burns.

  • Wet Labs (1)

  • Floor 3

  • 12
  • 1Atrium  The two-story atrium promotes interaction and collaboration between scientists and researchers who may not typically cross paths. This space also provides room for studying, impromptu meetings, and lunch breaks.

    On this floor  Cardiovascular researchers facilitate high-impact, collaborative research across a wide spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research in areas such as heart failure, cardiac proteins, blood clotting, and more. Public Health Sciences is dedicated to reducing the global burden of disease, improving international health, and decreasing health disparities due to racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, gender, environmental, and other factors.

  • Atrium (1)

  • Floor 4

  • 1
  • 1wet lab space  These are traditional lab spaces used for conducting experiments with chemicals, drugs, and other biological materials. The labs are open and allow for collaboration between scientists.

    2dry lab space  Dry lab spaces are used mostly for creating computer-generated models and statistics and used to analyze biological data. Our Public Health Sciences department utilizes many of these labs.

    On this floor  Cardiovascular researchers facilitate high-impact, collaborative research across a wide spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research in areas such as heart failure, cardiac proteins, blood clotting, and more. Public Health Sciences is dedicated to reducing the global burden of disease, improving international health, and decreasing health disparities due to racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, gender, environmental, and other factors.

  • Wet Labs (1)

  • Floor 5

  • 12

Inside the Center for Translational Research

  • 12

1Auditorium  265-seat auditorium will be home to University events, community forums, lectures, and more. State-of-the-art acoustics and lighting will make it an ideal location on campus and bring in many outside events and seminars.

290-seat classroom  This large classroom provides ample room for collaborative learning, large lectures and seminars, and guest speakers.

On this floor  Oncology has dedicated researchers committed to the discovery of the causes of cancer. They’re examining signal transduction and experimental therapeutics, tumor immunology and immunotherapy, gene regulation and epigenetics and stem cell biology.

  • 12

1Cancer Center Bridge  This bridge connects the research building with the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, bringing cancer physicians and researchers closer together to provide top-notch translational research and patient care.

2Atrium  The two-story atrium promotes interaction and collaboration between scientists and researchers who may not typically cross paths. This space also provides room for studying, impromptu meetings, and lunch breaks.

On this floor   Infectious Disease and Immunology researchers are a uniquely integrated scientific community for researchers that study bacterial/viral diseases, host-pathogen interactions, cellular immunology, inflammation, immune response to injury, hematology/oncology, and transplantation.

  • 12

1wet lab space  These are traditional lab spaces used for conducting experiments with chemicals, drugs, and other biological materials. The labs are open and allow for collaboration between scientists.

2dry lab space  Dry lab spaces are used mostly for creating computer-generated models and statistics and used to analyze biological data. Our Public Health Sciences department utilizes many of these labs.

On this floor    Infectious Disease and Immunology researchers are a uniquely integrated scientific community for researchers that study bacterial/viral diseases, host-pathogen interactions, cellular immunology, inflammation, immune response to injury, hematology/oncology, and transplantation. The Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing researchers focus on social context, stress, and epigenetic determinants of health, health disparities, prevention and self-management of chronic diseases, and optimizing outcomes in education and practice. Burn and Shock Trauma consists of a unique community of scientists and clinicians devoted to the study of traumatic injury. Programs include both clinical and laboratory research relevant to trauma injury and burns.

  • 1

1Atrium  The two-story atrium promotes interaction and collaboration between scientists and researchers who may not typically cross paths. This space also provides room for studying, impromptu meetings, and lunch breaks.

On this floor  Cardiovascular researchers facilitate high-impact, collaborative research across a wide spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research in areas such as heart failure, cardiac proteins, blood clotting, and more. Public Health Sciences is dedicated to reducing the global burden of disease, improving international health, and decreasing health disparities due to racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, gender, environmental, and other factors.

  • 12

1wet lab space  These are traditional lab spaces used for conducting experiments with chemicals, drugs, and other biological materials. The labs are open and allow for collaboration between scientists.

2dry lab space  Dry lab spaces are used mostly for creating computer-generated models and statistics and used to analyze biological data. Our Public Health Sciences department utilizes many of these labs.

On this floor  Cardiovascular researchers facilitate high-impact, collaborative research across a wide spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research in areas such as heart failure, cardiac proteins, blood clotting, and more. Public Health Sciences is dedicated to reducing the global burden of disease, improving international health, and decreasing health disparities due to racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, gender, environmental, and other factors.

From bench to bedside

Translational Research is the process of turning lab discoveries into tangible and effective interventions that can eventually be used on patients as better diagnostic tools, drugs, behavioral interventions, prevention tactics, or medical procedures.

See how one Loyola researcher's work could go from his lab to a patient in need. Saverio Gentile, PhD, is looking to develop a novel anticancer strategy and bring new anti-cancer drugs into the growing field of personalized medicine, where the treatment is tailored to a patient’s individual line of cancer cells.

Saverio Gentile, PhD

Basic Science

Discoveries of fundamental mechanisms behind diseases or behavior are usually found in a lab. This is work being done by those in our cardiovascular, neuroscience, physiology, and other departments in the Center for Translational Research and Education.

Target practice

Saverio Gentile, PhD, has targeted ion channels on cancer cells, which convert chemical or mechanical messages into electrical signals. Stimulating these ion channels appears to stop breast and ovarian cancer cell growth and metastasis.

Pre-Clinical Research

Lab breakthroughs, particularly new drug treatments, must be tested to see if a new compound is safe or feasible to start testing on humans. The two types of pre-clinical research are In Vitro (petri dish or test tube experiments) and In Vivo (animal testing). This research also helps determine dosing and toxicity levels.

Under the microscope

To stimulate these ion channels, Dr. Gentile is using drugs already approved by the FDA. His lab is testing different cancer cell lines to see which ones will respond to the ion-stimulating drugs. The drug has been shown to induce DNA-damage in cancer cells specifically while leaving healthy cells alone, which reduces the amount of drug needed and improves quality of life for the patient (by reducing the drug-dependent adverse effects).

Clinical Research

Human subjects are brought in to test the safety and effectiveness of therapeutics. They also test the success of interventional or prevention work, such as a certain diet for a patient with chronic kidney disease or a new DNA screening test for colon cancer. This is typically the last step before approval from a federal regulatory body.

Testing patient success

Eventually, clinical trials will be created to test these drugs in patients. Dr. Gentile along with his lab and clinical partners (including Ronald Potkul, MD, chair of the obstetrics and gynecology department) will be able to determine what types of ovarian cancer respond the best to these drugs. They will also be tested in combination with common chemotherapies already in use. A clinical trial is currently in the process of being developed. In this trial, some patients would be given the drug along with chemotherapy and some would just be given chemotherapy, to test the drug’s efficacy.

Clinical Implementation

This occurs when the lab discovery is now approved for use on any patient who may benefit from it. This means it is now a drug being prescribed, a screening test being used in a clinic or a prevention method being recommended by doctors. Data is also collected to determine effectiveness in an even bigger and more varied population.

Ready for the prescription pad

Patients will get their tumors tested and analyzed to determine the presence of specific ion channels. If it’s one of the lines that responds to the ion channel stimulating drugs, then the patient will receive the drug as part of their treatment. Since the drug is already FDA-approved, this can shorten the time between clinical research and implementation.

Public Health

To ensure researchers   are working on developing drugs and interventions for the most pressing public health needs. Public health researchers, housed next door to our basic lab scientists, study health outcomes to determine the effects of diseases and how our current prevention, diagnostic, and intervention methods are working.

Making it personal

This treatment would be a prime example of personalized medicine, where a person’s treatment is tailored to the exact type of disease they have, down to the cellular structure. This can shorten treatment length and improve a patient’s quality of life. Repurposing an existing drug can also help keep the cost down.

Translational Research

From bench to bedside

Loyola University Chicago Health Sciences Campus is turning lab discoveries into tangible and effective interventions that can eventually be used on patients as better diagnostic tools, drugs, behavioral interventions, prevention tactics, or medical procedures.

Discoveries of fundamental mechanisms behind diseases or behavior are usually found in a lab. This is work being done by those in our cardiovascular, neuroscience, physiology, and other departments in the Center for Translational Research and Education.

The lab breakthroughs, particularly new drug treatments, must be tested to see if a new compound is safe or feasible to start testing on humans. The two types of pre-clinical research are In Vitro (petri dish or test tube experiments) and In Vivo (animal testing). This research also helps determine dosing and toxicity levels.

Human subjects are brought in to test the safety and effectiveness of therapeutics. They also test the success of interventional or prevention work, such as a certain diet for a patient with chronic kidney disease or a new DNA screening test for colon cancer. This is typically the last step before approval from a federal regulatory body.

This occurs when the lab discovery is now approved for use on any patient who may benefit from it. This means it is now a drug being prescribed, a screening test being used in a clinic or a prevention method being recommended by doctors. Data is also collected to determine effectiveness in an even bigger and more varied population.

To ensure researchers are working on developing drugs and interventions for the most pressing public health needs. Public health researchers, housed next door to our basic lab scientists, study health outcomes to determine the effects of diseases and how our current prevention, diagnostic, and intervention methods are working.

A Case Study

Fixing the faults of the heart

See how one Loyola researcher's work could go from his lab to a patient in need. Saverio Gentile, PhD, is looking to develop a novel anticancer strategy and bring new anti-cancer drugs into the growing field of personalized medicine, where the treatment is tailored to a patient’s individual line of cancer cells.

Saverio Gentile, PhD, has targeted ion channels on cancer cells, which convert chemical or mechanical messages into electrical signals. Stimulating these ion channels appears to stop breast and ovarian cancer cell growth and metastasis.

To stimulate these ion channels, Dr. Gentile is using drugs already approved by the FDA. His lab is testing different cancer cell lines to see which ones will respond to the ion-stimulating drugs. The drug has been shown to induce DNA-damage in cancer cells specifically while leaving healthy cells alone, which reduces the amount of drug needed and improves quality of life for the patient (by reducing the drug-dependent adverse effects).

Eventually, clinical trials will be created to test these drugs in patients. Dr. Gentile along with his lab and clinical partners (including Ronald Potkul, MD, chair of the obstetrics and gynecology department) will be able to determine what types of ovarian cancer respond the best to these drugs. They will also be tested in combination with common chemotherapies already in use. A clinical trial is currently in the process of being developed. In this trial, some patients would be given the drug along with chemotherapy and some would just be given chemotherapy, to test the drug’s efficacy.

Patients will get their tumors tested and analyzed to determine the presence of specific ion channels. If it’s one of the lines that responds to the ion channel stimulating drugs, then the patient will receive the drug as part of their treatment. Since the drug is already FDA-approved, this can shorten the time between clinical research and implementation.

This treatment would be a prime example of personalized medicine, where a person’s treatment is tailored to the exact type of disease they have, down to the cellular structure. This can shorten treatment length and improve a patient’s quality of life. Repurposing an existing drug can also help keep the cost down.

By the numbers

40+

National Institutes of Health FUNDED RESEARCHERS IN LOYOLA’S HEALTH SCIENCES CAMPUS

500+

faculty, staff, and students will collaborate in the building

+40%

increased productivity due to floor plan

Meet our scientists

The work being done inside the Center for Translational Research and Education is poised to have a profound effect on patients. Here’s what Loyola researchers are working on:

Amelia Bumsted

DNP graduate

While research scholarship was once considered a field apart from the practical study of nursing, Niehoff students, like Amelia Bumsted, demonstrate it’s centrality in the evolving world of health care.

READ MORE

Gopal Gupta, MD

Associate Professor

Quinlan School of Business and the Stritch School of Medicine recently studied the impact of price when patients need to choose between different cancer detection procedures.

READ MORE

Alan Wolfe, PhD

Professor

Research from a former Loyola Faculty Member of the Year awardee challenges the common belief that urine is sterile.

READ MORE

Katherine Knight, PhD

Professor and Chair

The chair of the department of microbiology and immunology is helping students develop their scientific minds.

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A Day of Celebration

The Center for Translational Research and Education formally opened its doors on April 21, marking a milestone for Loyola research endeavors and for the Health Sciences Campus. Read more about the evening and view photos of event here.

The start of discovery

The Loyola community gathered together to mark the official opening of the five-story research building.

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Seeing science in action

View photos of the grand opening event, from the ribbon cutting to personal lab tours.

PHOTO GALLERY