“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”
– attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German writer
Innovation is all around us. It is so prevalent, in fact, that we take it for granted.
Consider your morning routine. Did you brew a pot of coffee? You can thank Melitta Bentz for her invention of the first paper coffee filter in 1908. With your coffee mug in hand, did you hop online to read this very blog post? Tip your hat to the thousands of individuals who paved the way for Sir Tim Berners-Lee to invent the World Wide Web in 1989.
True innovation is a mixture of knowledge, creativity, collaboration and – as Goethe once said – a dash of boldness. Nowhere is this mixture more prevalent than in medicine.
From the creation of the first vaccine in 1796 (smallpox) to the first successful human organ transplant in 1954 (a kidney) to the FDA’s first approval of a CRISPR gene-editing therapy in December (for sickle cell anemia), health care is rife with opportunity for the development of innovations that can improve millions of lives.
At The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Wexner Medical Center, we take to heart what many have said before: embracing innovation is not an option, it is a necessity.
We are leaders in this space. Our learners are early adopters of emerging technologies. They ask questions, observe critically and adapt swiftly. And as the college’s record-breaking research funding for fiscal year 2023 shows, our faculty, learners and staff are advancing medical breakthroughs that could change the world.
To that end, we have created the Research Innovation Seed for Commercialization Fund to inspire our brilliant teams to dream big, take risks and push the boundaries of innovation. This fund supports the progression of their research from early stages to market, from the lab to the patient.
There are countless amazing discoveries in the works. Innovation propels us forward as Buckeyes, whether we are investigating the use of gene therapy to treat neurodegenerative diseases or creating a learning health system to improve care for people with traumatic brain injuries.
I urge you to keep exploring new possibilities and harnessing the power of innovation. Through your bold efforts, we will meet the evolving needs of our patients and find solutions to the world’s toughest health challenges.
Dean, College of Medicine
Leslie H. and Abigail S. Wexner Dean’s Chair in Medicine
Vice President for Health Sciences, Wexner Medical Center