The state-of-the-art facilities will be dedicated to scientific investigation and will significantly increase laboratory research space on Cleveland Clinic’s main campus.

A public-private initiative, the Cleveland Innovation District brings the State of Ohio and JobsOhio together with Cleveland’s healthcare and higher education institutions, to create jobs, accelerate research, and educate the future workforce.

“These new research facilities mark a significant step in our commitment to the Cleveland Innovation District, representing the largest research investment in our history,” said Tom Mihaljevic, MD, Cleveland Clinic chief executive and president, and holder of the Morton L. Mandel CEO Chair. “Our focus on innovation not only helps to develop new treatments to improve patient care but also contributes to the growth of our region’s economy and efforts to train the workforce of tomorrow.” 

Cutting-edge laboratories have been developed from 45,000 square feet of remodelled space. Several of Cleveland Clinic’s fastest-growing research programmes have moved to this space, including the Center for Computational Life Sciences, the Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-oncology, and the Center for Therapeutics Discovery, which features floor-to-ceiling glass walls, so that scientists can be seen at work. 

Cleveland Clinic is also opening a biosafety level-3 laboratory for advanced pathogen research. The biosafety lab will enable researchers to expand their work to investigate infectious pathogens. The facility operates under stringent biosafety protocols and provides an important resource for scientists to develop diagnostics, treatments and vaccines to prevent and treat infectious diseases.

Next year, Cleveland Clinic plans to begin major construction on two new research buildings, totalling about 296,000 square feet. Featuring research laboratories, classroom space, offices, and a cafe, the buildings will also include additional green space, landscaping and walking paths, which will offer a new entrance to the southeast part of the main campus. Construction is expected to be completed in 2025.

The new buildings will be home to the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Global Center for Pathogen Research and Human Health, the largest research initiative in Cleveland Clinic’s more than 100-year history.

“These new state-of-the-art research facilities will provide the infrastructure and technology necessary to grow Cleveland Clinic’s research efforts,” said Serpil Erzurum, MD, Cleveland Clinic’s chief research and academic officer. “They will be a tremendous resource for our scientists in the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Global Center for Pathogen Research and Human Health, enabling them to expand their vital work in preparing for the next pandemic, and discovering and developing critically needed new therapies and vaccines.”

Milestones – the Innovation District

Cleveland Clinic has also made some major progress in developing the Cleveland Innovation District. It has recruited world leaders in immunology, cancer biology, vaccine development, immune-oncology and pathogen research, as well as technology development and education. It has also created nearly 1000 new jobs, as well as courses and degrees in collaboration with Cleveland State University, in programmes such as phlebotomy, cardiac ultrasound, and diagnostic medical sonography.

In 2021, the healthcare provider opened the first new building in the Cleveland Innovation District, the 22,000-square-foot BioRepository facility, which increases and centralises storage capacity for biologic samples. This allows researchers to study human tissue samples more effectively for the purpose of developing new treatments and advancing personalised medicine.

Another major development is a partnership with IBM, which aims to advance the pace of discovery through high performance computing. This spring, the two organisations unveiled the first quantum computer dedicated to healthcare, located on Cleveland Clinic’s main campus. 

Finally, Cleveland Clinic continues to collaborate with other community organisations to revitalise the Fairfax neighbourhood. A new $52.8 million development, which includes a 40,000-square-foot Meijer grocery market and 196-apartment complex, is expected to open later this year. Additionally, Cleveland Clinic has provided funding, along with other organisations, for an 82-unit apartment development – the Aura at Innovation Square. 

Philanthropic funding has supported the Cleveland Innovation District. To date, more than $47 million has been raised from individuals, corporations and foundations. In addition, annual donor support fuels ongoing research programmes at Lerner Research Institute with more than $17 million raised to date this year.

Commenting on the developments, JP Nauseef, JobsOhio president and chief executive, said: “Collectively, the region’s dynamic healthcare and higher education research institutions will serve as a magnet to retain and attract elite talent from home and around the world to Northeast Ohio. In this case, the rapid pace of development being led by Cleveland Clinic on its main campus is bringing cutting-edge research facilities to the Cleveland Innovation District.”