Together, Soroka, the managements of Clalit and Ben-Gurion University, and the Adelis Foundation have taken upon themselves the national mission of leading the field of medical research and the development of medical innovation.
The André Cohen Deloro Medical Research Institute is a leading research center and will enable continued collaboration between a leading tertiary medical center, a leading research university, and an advanced technologies park that comprises a significant element of Israel's first innovation district, located in the city of Beer-Sheva.
The cornerstone-laying ceremony of the André Cohen Deloro Medical Research Institute was held today at the hospital in the presence of Rebecca and Sydney Boukhris, trustees of the Adelis Foundation; Dr. Shlomi Codish, director general of Soroka University Medical Center; Prof. Daniel Chamovitz, president of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Major General (Res.) Yohanan Locker, chairman of Clalit's board of directors; Ruth Ralbag, CEO of Clalit; Dr. Orly Weinstein, deputy director and head of the Hospital Division of Clalit; Ruvik Danilovich, mayor of Beer-Sheva, members of the hospital and university managements, and honored guests.
The new joint medical research institute will be a focal point for significant diagnostic and therapeutic breakthroughs. It will combine outstanding scientific research with clinical experience and insights, contributing greatly to health and well-being at the local and international levels.
The institute will create a large-scale, up-to-date, leading research infrastructure based on the proven scientific abilities of the researchers of Ben-Gurion University and the clinicians of Soroka and will encourage outstanding clinicians, physician-researchers, and leading researchers to remain in the Negev.
The new institute will be based on the success of the Research and Innovation Authority under the management of Prof. Victor Novak. The Research and Innovation Authority was established at Soroka several years ago together with leading biomedical research groups at Ben-Gurion University, and together they will provide an exceptional infrastructure for translational biomedical research. Participants in research projects with applied potential will be able to cross the street to Ben-Gurion University for further research and improvements, come to Soroka to conduct experiments at the patient's bedside, and ultimately go to the Advanced Technologies Park for development.
The research institute building will cover an area of approximately 3,800 square meters and will include clinical laboratories, biobank infrastructure (a tissue bank of the population of the region that will enable the use of biodata in clinical studies and the creation of medical tools adapted to the population of the area), a site for clinical and epidemiological research, hospital rooms for healthy volunteers, an auditorium, seminar rooms, and the Research Management Unit, the Helsinki Committee.
The institute will focus on three main research areas:
• Translational research: Laboratory spaces and facilities will be made available to clinicians conducting or participating in advanced basic research with the potential for practical application.
• Clinical research: Expansion of the currently operating Clinical Research Institute
• Population-based studies aimed at promoting the health of the Negev population
The André Cohen Deloro Institute for Medical Research will be constructed on the northeast side of Soroka's campus, across from Ben-Gurion University's Faculty of Health and Faculty of Natural Sciences and within walking distance of The Gav-Yam Negev advanced Technologies Park. We will focus on establishing facilities that are not currently available in the Negev in general or to clinician-researchers at Ben-Gurion University.
Dr. Shlomi Codish, director general of Soroka University Medical Center: "This is a particularly exciting event. Soroka, as a leading medical center and a strategic asset of the State of Israel, proves time and time again its importance and the fact that with us you feel safe. One of the most significant elements of our medical achievements is the fact that medical research is an integral part of our daily work. The strategic partnership with Ben-Gurion University of the Negev leads to groundbreaking scientific achievements. We have been joined by our dear friends at the Adelis Foundation, thanks to whom we have arrived at the stage of realizing our shared vision. I thank the management of Clalit, our partners at Ben-Gurion University, our dear friends at the Adelis Foundation, and the dedicated teams at Soroka."
Prof. Daniel Haimovich, president of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev: "The combination of basic research and clinical research is the key to significant discoveries that will improve health in Israel. This is the purpose of establishing the Institute for Medical Research. The building that will be constructed here symbolizes the close cooperation between Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Soroka University Medical Center, a collaboration that will only grow stronger in the near future."
The moving words of Rebecca Boukhris, trustee of the Adelis Foundation: "Who would have believed that one day we would be partners here in the Negev in establishing an institute where scientists and doctors will work together to develop a vital research platform for the residents of the region and the entire State of Israel? If André Cohen Deloro was with us today, he would be the happiest person in the world, since it is the donor who is always the happiest and proudest of all. At the Adelis Foundation, we are convinced that scientific research and its excellence can have a real impact on the well-being of residents of the State of Israel. We do not doubt that this institute will attract many clinicians and scientists who together will lead to the improvement of many aspects of research and medical treatment."
Ruvik Danilovich, mayor of Beer-Sheva: "In today's reality, something new happens every day. People create reality and they need help in obtaining tools to improve the quality of our lives. The contribution of the Adelis Foundation to the construction of a research building on Ben-Gurion Boulevard, named after the founder of the State of Israel, is a truly Zionist act. The message we can take away from this day is that our strength lies in the cooperation of the strongest elements in the region in leading and strengthening the Negev, which is crucially important for the existence of the State of Israel."
Ruth Ralbag, former CEO of Clalit: "I want to thank all the partners in this important project. This is a special week where we celebrate Memorial Day and Independence Day, which demonstrates our place in this country, our rebirth, and the importance of research, teaching, and health for the residents. We at Clalit see serving the residents of the Negev as a privilege and a duty, and thank you, the donors, for choosing to invest in the region."
Major General (Res.) Yohanan Locker, chairman of the board of directors of Clalit: "At Clalit, innovation is a high priority. We are in the midst of a fourth industrial revolution and our ability at Clalit to succeed and respond to the challenges our patients face will be measured in the light of managing not only the present but also the future. Innovation, research, and development are the main tools through which we and the people who lead them will succeed. I am grateful for the enormous contribution of the Adelis Foundation to the promotion of health in the Negev."
