Hamilton County Commissioner Tim Boyd today announced plans to create a multimillion-dollar, world-class health research facility in Chattanooga that would capitalize on the city’s high-tech infrastructure.
The nonprofit Chattanooga Research Institute would focus on research in computational biology, a field that applies the principles of computer science, molecular modeling and chemistry to solve medical problems, Boyd said.
CRI aims to provide products and services that improve health care, specifically in the fields of drug discovery, health information exchange and bioinformatics, according to a news release from the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. CRI also aims to train scientists within these fields in spirit of patient-oriented research.
However, the facility isn’t funded. A conference scheduled for next month is designed to help raise $6.25 million to bankroll the operation for three years, Boyd said.
Boyd said several scientists – some from Harvard University, others from the University of California at San Diego – are expected to discuss their research to potential donors during February’s conference.