Ignite is a unique non-profit personalized medicine institute, integrating biomedical research, development, commercialization and clinical care. The Institute is the first to apply the latest genomic, biomedical and technological innovations to enable individualized health care at the community health level. It is at the community level where most Americans receive care and where medicine needs to be more personalized, efficient and effective.
We now know that most human diseases have several subclasses, which scientists are beginning to unravel. Ignite will continue disease subclass research, develop strategies and tools to determine which subclass of disease an individual presents with or is at risk for, and identify appropriate treatments for that specific subtype.
Ignite is built on a collaborative “hybrid” model that includes independent leadership, affiliations with universities and clinical centers of excellence, a non-profit academic component and for-profit accelerators/incubators. Research is funded through traditional revenue streams (grants, contracts, philanthropy and licensing revenue) as well as venture philanthropy (venture funds, co-development and equity participation in commercial activities). The result is a vertically integrated pipeline that moves from discovery to clinical implementation in a shortened timeframe with reduced costs.
The Institute is recruiting the most outstanding scientists from around the world to transform the way personalized medicine is developed and implemented. These scientists will be integrated with leading product developers, clinical researchers, technology experts and physicians. The science teams have the opportunity to extend their reach to assist in the effective commercialization and implementation of discoveries in a clinical setting.
Ignite is currently formalizing partnerships and securing funding commitments at the federal, state and local level. Its strategic location in the National Capital region will allow it to work closely with the Food and Drug Administration so that new complex companion diagnostics and personalized therapies can be approved in a streamlined fashion.