Imlay Foundation Gives $5 Million for Pediatric Therapies Research

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and the Georgia Institute of Technology announced a $5 million grant from The Imlay Foundation to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for the development of pediatric therapies.
From left, M.G. Finn, Chief Scientific Officer of Georgia Tech's Pediatric Technology Center and chair of the Chemistry Department; Mary Ellen Imlay, chair of the Imlay Foundation; and Dr. Patrick Frias, chief operating officer at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, in a laboratory in the Engineered Biosystems Building where research takes place as a part of the Children's-Georgia Tech partnership.

From left, M.G. Finn, Chief Scientific Officer of Georgia Tech's Pediatric Technology Center and chair of the Chemistry Department; Mary Ellen Imlay, chair of the Imlay Foundation; and Dr. Patrick Frias, chief operating officer at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, in a laboratory in the Engineered Biosystems Building where research takes place as a part of the Children's-Georgia Tech partnership.

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and the Georgia Institute of Technology announce a $5 million grant from The Imlay Foundation to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for the development of pediatric therapies. The single largest grant made by The Imlay Foundation in its 25-year history, this commitment establishes The Imlay Innovation Fund at Children’s to advance collaboration between Georgia Tech and Children’s pediatric innovation and discovery efforts.

The research partnership with Georgia Tech is called the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center. The collaborative research fostered through this partnership brings together clinicians from Children’s, academic scientists from Emory University and engineers from Georgia Tech to solve important problems in pediatrics and develop technological solutions for improving the health of children. With the formation of the Children’s Pediatric Technology Center, Children’s and Georgia Tech are providing extraordinary opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration in pediatrics, creating breakthrough discoveries that often can only be found at the intersection of multiple disciplines.
“It is through generous philanthropy that we are able to foster these alliances that help enhance the lives of children,” said Donna Hyland, President and CEO, Children’s. “Mary Ellen and her late husband, John, have demonstrated their love and appreciation of Children’s and Georgia Tech in a myriad of ways over the years through their volunteerism, board leadership and philanthropy. This grant furthers their deep commitment to Children’s and Georgia Tech.”

The grant will help fund two collaborative programs, including Quick Wins, a novel program that allows Children’s clinicians and clinical administrative leaders to bring problems that impact care delivery to the attention of scientists and engineers at Georgia Tech to help develop technology-based solutions to improve pediatric health care. The funds will also support a program to help bridge the gap following proof to concept, giving investigators the ability to collect data, complete further proof-of-concept studies or produce prototypes for testing in order to advance a solution to the next stage of development. 

“The grant decision was met with unanimous and enthusiastic approval from The Imlay Foundation Board,” said Mary Ellen Imlay, a longtime Children’s Foundation Trustee. “We could not think of a more meaningful way to honor John and further his legacy at both Children’s and his alma mater, Georgia Tech.”

“This generous grant serves as a powerful affirmation of the great partnership between Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Georgia Tech,” said Georgia Tech President G. P. “Bud” Peterson.  “We continue to collaborate with Children’s in numerous areas and are excited about the potential impact on pediatric medicine.”

About Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has been 100 percent dedicated to kids for more than 100 years. A not-for-profit organization, Children’s is dedicated to making kids better today and healthier tomorrow. Our specialized care helps children get better faster and live healthier lives. Managing more than 870,000 patient visits annually at three hospitals and 27 neighborhood locations, Children’s is the largest healthcare provider for children in Georgia and one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country. Children’s offers access to more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs and is ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report. With generous philanthropic and volunteer support since 1915, Children’s has impacted the lives of children in Georgia, the United States and throughout the world. Visit www.choa.org for more information.

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