Prince Andrew Visits Miller School for Meeting on the Life Sciences

Released by the University of Miami, School of Medicine

A visit today from His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, provided Miller School leadership an opportunity to showcase the School's progress and imminent growth in areas including stem cell research, diabetes research and genomics, with the greater goal of forging new ties with the United Kingdom. Strong partnerships with industry in the U.S. and abroad have become an integral component in the University's vision to make South Florida a leader in biotechnology and the life sciences.

The Duke, who was visiting the States in his role representing Britain in the world economy as a full-time trade envoy, spent the morning in an intimate meeting with Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., University of Miami President Donna E. Shalala, and a handful of the Miller School's top physicians and scientists at the Lois Pope LIFE Center on the medical campus.

Dean Goldschmidt welcomed the Prince and his staff after the group of 13 took their seats. "We are honored and delighted to have you here," said Dean Goldschmidt. "At the Miller School, we're committed to excellent patient care, research and community outreach. Miami's diverse community is a true asset; we're challenged with the task of serving both the very poorest and the very richest."  Responding to specific questions from the Duke, the Dean continued with a brief overview of the work being done at the Diabetes Research Institute before segueing into presentations from his colleagues.

Bart Chernow, M.D., vice president of special programs and resource strategy and senior executive advisor to the Dean, presented plans for the University's Life Science Park, which will bring together research and industry to expedite the movement of ideas from the laboratory to patients.

"The Life Science Park will be iconic," said Dr. Chernow. He pointed to the excellent work scientists in Britain are doing in neuroscience, cardiology and diabetes as a starting point for collaboration, saying that there are "synergies that are complementary to both countries."

Barth Green, M.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the Miller School, and William Dalton Dietrich, III, Ph.D., scientific director at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, described the work the 250 Miami Project scientists are doing to advance the treatment and prevention of brain and spinal cord injury.

"We have to get scientists together who are very interested in talking to each other. That's how bridges are built," said Dietrich.

The greatest amount of time was devoted to the discussion of stem cell research. Joshua Hare, M.D., Louis Lemberg Professor of Medicine and chief of the Miller School's Cardiovascular Division, and Paul Schiller, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine and molecular biology, fielded the Duke's detailed and incisive questions as they discussed upcoming clinical trials using stem cells for heart failure and other disease therapy.

President Shalala, who helped facilitate the discussion, made sure to inject moments of levity.  Delighting in the Duke's enthusiastic curiosity about Miller School research, she and the Dean suggested he might consider a career move to the UM medical faculty.

Following the meeting, Prince Andrew toured the Schoninger Quadrangle, greeting students and gaining a small glimpse into what the 45-acre medical campus has to offer.