Medical Mile Proposed to Bring Billions to Grand Rapids Michigan Economy

Grand Rapids Michigan could be where new cancer treatments are formulated,

new medicines to treat Alzheimer's disease, and new vaccines for diseases thought

to be untreatable will originate.

The investment in the medical research facilities, infrastructure and 

MSU College of Human Medicine in GrandRapids, Michigan is just the start of what

many hope to be future leaders in medical technology and life sciences for here

in West Michigan.  The area where all this growth is occurs is called "The Medical Mile." 

It is located on Michigan Avenue in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids.  

In the forefront of this project is the West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative

 which is a partnership among The RightPlace, Inc., Van Andel Research Institute,

Grand Valley State University, the city of Grand Rapids and GrandRapids Community

College, Spectrum Health, Saint Mary's Health Care and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation

Hospital.  Its mission is to create an environment that sparks innovation and supports

the commercialization of science and technology. Since its inception, the Initiative

has assisted more than 70 plus clients in commercialization of new products, including

funding through receipt of more than $7M in federal and state grant awards.

The growth in this area is phenomenal and many see this as just the tip of the iceberg,

so to speak.

The Michigan Business Report says local start ups are thriving in the area of diagnostics,

medical devices, drug development and clinical research for therapeutics.  The medical

device market alone is estimated to be at least  $115 billion and growing between 11

to 15 per cent each year.

photos of CookDeVos Center for Disease from GVSU website