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Leveraging Akron���s Legacy for the Future Founded on the concept of collaboration, the ABIA continues to leverage both long-standing and new partnerships to advance the goal of bringing opportunities, recognition and better health care to Ohio. The new fellowship program through Summa and simulation technology degree program at the University of Akron are examples of how the core partnerships continue to evolve. Beyond those founding institutions, ABIA���s strategic partnerships and collaborations run the gamut and include such diverse organizations as the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Ohio & Erie Canalway with which they developed a walking program, device manufacturers like Stryker and distributors like Three Rivers Orthopaedics which utilize the Institute to test and train on new devices, state and local governments, educational institutions and even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In partnership with more than 60 public and private community groups, the Center for Community Health Improvement and ABIA���s five founding partners are leading the Accountable Care Community, a CDC-supported effort to promote public health, reduce health disparities and prevent chronic diseases. And while many staff from area institutions have already undergone training and disaster drills at the Institute, Dr. Holder says the ABIA hopes to be able to reach even farther afield with its unique approach to medical education. ���The ABIA is not just for the people in Akron. Our goal is to extend the reach regionally, nationally and even internationally,��� says Dr. Holder. ���At a facility like the ABIA, people can focus on the task at hand for one or two days and then go back and pass this information on to their teams at their hospitals. All are welcome to come to the ABIA and obtain this training. We believe we have something very special here.��� As part of its effort to advance medical innovation in the region, the ABIA is also closely aligned with Through its product research arms (the Centers for Biomaterials and Medicine, Medical Device Development, and Clinical Trials and Product Development), the ABIA is working to provide an ideal environment for invention and testing of medical innovations. Mechanical engineer Michael Singer is shown here testing a new orthopaedic device. regional biomedical commercialization efforts including BioEnterprise, the City of Akron���s Biomedical Corridor development zone, the Akron Global Business Accelerator a nd A k ron A RCH A ngels. A s it has since its inception, the Institute remains open to future possibilities for advancement through collaboration. Recently, ABIA announced a partnership with the Centre of Excellence for Polymer Materials and Technologies, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, to jointly work on innovative projects in biomaterials, wound healing and orthopaedics. ���We believe that the ABIA is a model for the nation,��� says Dr. Douglas. ���It is really focused on ways to improve the process of translation ��� transferring science and technology from academia to industry.��� For m ore inf or m at ion , v i s it www.abiakron.org or call (330) 572-7544. ��� JANUARY- FEBRUARY 2013 ��� MDNEWS.COM ��� MD News Cleveland/Akron/Canton | 15