Medical City at Lake Nona
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is headquartered in La Jolla, Calif., with locations in Santa Barbara, Calif., and Orlando, Fla. The Institute's journey to Central Florida began in 2003 when the state of Florida launched a bold mission to increase life sciences research and biotech ventures by committing major capital to attract prestigious research institutes to the state. The Institute accepted an invitation to establish an East Coast facility in the beautiful Lake Nona area, southeast of Orlando, within an emerging biomedical research, education and health care cluster known as "Medical City" at Lake Nona.
Sanford-Burnham opened their LEED Gold certified building in 2009 as a founding partner of the 650-acre life sciences hub. The Institute quickly established the Diabetes and Obesity Research Center with a focus on fundamental and translational aspects of metabolism relevant to a wide range of common complex diseases including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
The Medical City includes Sanford-Burnham, the University of Central Florida's College of Medicine and Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando. The Nemours Children's Hospital and the University of Florida's Research and Academic Center, including the School of Pharmacology, will open in 2012. The Orlando Veterans Administration Medical Center will open in 2013.
The Institute's collaborative and entrepreneurial nature is shared by other Medical City institutions. A mutual commitment to discovering and delivering advanced quality medical care further strengthens partner relationships and offers a range of opportunities for future collaborations. Lake Nona's educational, clinical and research partners share a pioneering spirit and genuine excitement about their role in contributing to the development of Orlando's new life sciences sector.
Already, Sanford-Burnham has forged partnerships with neighboring institutions including research collaborations, joint appointments and shared grant applications, among others. In addition, Sanford-Burnham scientists collaborate with institutions throughout Florida, including the University of Florida, the University of South Florida, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Florida Hospital. The Florida Hospital-Sanford-Burnham Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes is scheduled to open in downtown Orlando in early 2012.