The backdrop of storm clouds added to the atmosphere of import as Colorado State University leaders and philanthropists John and Leslie Malone gathered at the June 2 groundbreaking event for the C. Wayne McIlwraith Translational Medicine Institute.
The project, which required years of planning and record fundraising to reach this point officially took a big step forward today, with the university breaking ground for an institute that promises medical innovations by harnessing the body’s healing powers to help animals and people suffering from a wide range of diseases.
Dr. David Frisbie, the institute’s interim operations director and a CSU professor of equine surgery, hailed the “milestone event” in his opening remarks. As he welcomed those in attendance — some 150 faculty, staff, clinicians and donors — he described the “phenomenal journey” that led to the groundbreaking near the Diagnostic Medicine Center.
“This building will be a central focus of scientific advancement as well as research,” Frisbie said. “The teaching and technology resources will be a beacon to great minds so that they can come together in developing healing technologies for not only people but animals as well.”
The $65 million facility is named for an illustrious veterinarian who has built a remarkable clinical and research enterprise in orthopaedic medicine for horses during nearly 40 years at CSU.
McIlwraith, a University Distinguished Professor and founding director of CSU’s Orthopaedic Research Center, is an international pioneer in equine arthroscopic surgery. He has also pushed the boundaries of research into biological therapies based on living cells and their products, including novel protein and stem-cell therapies that help heal injured and degraded joints. Many of McIlwraith’s findings regarding the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of equine joint injury and disease have been translated into orthopaedic advancements for people – the succession known as “translational medicine.”
(Read an extended interview with McIlwraith.)
Translational medicine
CSU President Tony Frank said the use of the word “translational” is an appropriate and important description of what will take place in the building. “We’ll be moving things from the bench or laboratory into the hospital, from theory to practice, and patients from disease into health,” he said.
The word “transformational” also came up quite a bit in conversations with the lead donors, John and Leslie Malone, according to Frank.
“The idea of changing something completely is a daunting one,” he explained. With this new institute, CSU will completely change “the way we go after disease problems, and the way we put teams together, looking across biology and into engineering. Changing something completely and making efforts this large are heady conversations. They’re not new to the people who had the vision for this building,” said Frank.
John and Leslie Malone provided the transformational lead gift of $42.5 million to establish the research institute, prompted by their interest in the regenerative power of stem-cell therapies for horses and humans. The Malones raise world-class dressage horses and Thoroughbred racehorses; they became intrigued by the concept of the Translational Medicine Institute after their horses at Harmony Sporthorses near Denver were successfully treated with orthopaedic procedures developed by McIlwraith and his CSU colleagues.
John Malone said that he and his wife are fortunate to have the opportunity to support efforts such as the new research institute. “This one, for us, really checked all the boxes: horses, education and research,” he said. He added relentlessness, stem cells, and orthopedics to that mix.
“As you get older, you appreciate stem cells and orthopedics, both in your horses and in your neck, in my case,” he said.
New building, new business pact
The C. Wayne McIlwraith Translational Medicine Institute structure represents a first-of-its-kind business arrangement for Colorado State University to manage the facility.
CSU currently has extensive facilities staff dedicated to campus building operations and maintenance, and that staff is fully engaged with construction-related growth on campus. Instead of hiring new staff to take on the needs of the new building, the university entered into a public-private partnership — dubbed a P3 — with TPG, a development firm with offices in Nebraska and Fort Collins. TPG specializes in implementing innovative and fiscally responsible real estate and construction solutions.
Under a P3, a private company is engaged to manage facilities on public land. TPG is designing and will build the new institute; once it is completed, TPG will handle general building maintenance and operations for 30 years. CSU’s P3 contract is a long-term facilities strategy to enable the university’s land-grant mission, with TPG having future opportunities that could include financing, planning, design, construction and maintenance.
The new partnership will deliver cost savings to the university in maintaining the new building, and keep the facilities maintenance staff focused on current buildings. In addition, the innovative approach provides better value through a life-cycle approach that incorporates maintenance and operation considerations from design through construction.
“The university will see considerable efficiency, cost savings and expanded expertise from a P3 at this location,” said Tom Satterly, associate vice president for Facilities Management. “The P3 arrangement will not impact any existing jobs at the university, and provides us with fiscal advantages and adeptness in addressing the needs of the facility. We welcome TPG as the newest addition to our facilities team.”
Malone described CSU as a practical, pragmatic place where researchers produce real-world results. He also hailed the man for whom the building is named, Dr. C. Wayne McIlwraith. “If you could extract the source of Wayne’s energy and drive and put it in a bottle, that is an entrepreneurship I’d invest in,” he said.
Meeting McIlwraith and working with him has been one of the highlights of this effort, Malone added.
Adding to the Malones’ gift, Princess Abigail K. Kawananakoa of Hawaii, a direct descendant of the Hawaiian royal family and celebrated breeder of racing American Quarter Horses, donated the institute’s naming gift of $20 million.
McIlwraith has contributed to the success of Princess Abigail’s stable by supporting the orthopaedic health of her racehorses, inspiring her to give generously and to ask that the new facility be named for her longtime friend and colleague.
In his remarks, McIlwraith relayed his heartfelt thanks to the donors and acknowledged them as terrific philanthropists and visionaries.
“Thank you, John and Leslie, for the tremendous gift and partnering in this venture,” he said. “It’s really exciting. Aloha, Abigail. I’m sorry you can’t be with us. Mahalo.”
The renowned surgeon said the idea for the institute was an “evolutionary step” beyond the work being conducted at the Orthopaedic Research Center, and will expand the mission and research focuses to cut a wider swath.
He is still getting used to the idea of having his name on the building.
“It’s an incredible honor,” he said, choking up a bit with emotion. “The thing that’s touched me the most is all the people who’ve commented that it’s deserved or appropriate or they agree with it. It’s humbling. I wasn’t looking for a legacy, but I obviously have a fantastic one.”
University officials estimate that the C. Wayne McIlwraith Translational Medicine Institute will open its doors in late fall 2018.
CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, home base for the new institute, has a long tradition of creating new knowledge in veterinary medicine that also benefits human health; its achievements in canine cancer and equine orthopaedics are compelling examples.
Coleman Cornelius and Dell Rae Ciaravola contributed to this story.
For use by media
Dr. Tony Frank, Colorado State University president – on the word “translate” as it applies to the mission of the institute:
Dr. Wayne McIlwraith, founding director of CSU’s Orthopaedic Research Center – on the generosity of philanthropic support:
John Malone, philanthropist and lead donor – on investing in CSU, an institution that produces real-world results:
John Malone, philanthropist and lead donor to TMI – on the importance of the Translational Medicine Institute:
C. Wayne McIlwraith Translational Medicine Institute fly-through animation – credit: The Clark Enerson Partners
