Cultivating Excellence: The University of Maryland's Commitment to Medical Innovation and Public Health

The University of Maryland, encompassing both the Baltimore (UMB) and College Park (UMCP) campuses, stands as a pivotal force in advancing medical research, education, and public health initiatives. Through strategic partnerships, groundbreaking research, and a commitment to serving the public good, the University of Maryland is fostering a culture of excellence that extends from its classrooms and laboratories to communities across Maryland and beyond.

A Legacy of Innovation: UMB and UMCP

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), founded in 1807 as the Maryland College of Medicine, holds the distinction of being the nation's oldest public medical school. Over time, UMB has evolved into a preeminent institution, serving as the academic health, law, and social work university of the University System of Maryland. Its mission is rooted in excellence in education, research, clinical care, and public service.

The University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), the state's flagship university, is a leading public research institution driven by a community of over 50,000 students. As a top 20 public institution and a member of the Association of American Universities, UMCP is dedicated to excellence and impact for the public good.

Synergistic Partnerships: MPowering the State

The University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State (MPower) exemplifies the power of collaboration between UMB and UMCP. This partnership leverages the strengths of both institutions to bolster Maryland's innovation economy, advance interdisciplinary research, create opportunities for students, and address critical challenges for the people of Maryland and the nation.

The University of Maryland Strategic Partnership Act of 2016 formalized the relationship between UMB and UMCP, enabling them to achieve transformative change and impact that surpasses what each institution could accomplish independently.

The Edward & Jennifer St. John Center for Translational Engineering and Medicine (CTEM)

A prime example of this collaborative spirit is the establishment of the Edward & Jennifer St. John Center for Translational Engineering and Medicine (CTEM). This center, made possible by a $10 million joint gift from Edward and Jennifer St. John and the Edward St. John Foundation, unites researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) at UMB and the A. James Clark School of Engineering at UMCP.

Located in the University of Maryland BioPark in Baltimore, CTEM fosters collaboration between clinicians and engineers to develop next-generation medical solutions. This proximity ensures that the real-world medical needs of healthcare professionals and patients directly inform the development of devices, diagnostics, and treatments, accelerating the pathway from research to patient care.

Driving Medical Innovation

CTEM is led by Giuliano Scarcelli, PhD, and Osamah J. Saeedi, MD, clinical co-director and professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at UMSOM. Their collaborative work using cutting-edge ophthalmologic imaging to address ocular diseases such as glaucoma exemplifies the center’s mission of fostering cross-campus partnerships in the development of interventions that improve patients’ lives.

The center will expand into diverse areas of translational science, encouraging broader collaborations that accelerate discovery and improve patient outcomes well beyond eye care.

A State-of-the-Art Facility

The 35,000 sq. ft. facility occupies the entire fourth floor of 4MLK and was custom designed by UMSOM to facilitate collaboration between UMB and UMCP researchers. State-of-the-art equipment and easy access to UMB’s core labs and facilities will allow researchers to iterate their ideas as they develop potential new products.

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Its location in 4MLK places the center at the heart of a thriving biomedical innovation hub that is transforming Baltimore’s biotechnology landscape. By fostering groundbreaking research and cross-disciplinary collaboration, the center will not only advance medical science but also reinforce the critical role of the biotechnology sector in driving economic growth and scientific progress throughout Baltimore and the greater region.

The St. John's Enduring Dedication

This gift will establish endowed and current-use professorships in bioengineering, undergraduate and graduate student awards in translational engineering and medicine, and ongoing operating funds for the center. Edward St. John has long championed UMB’s mission to improve the human condition and serve the public good through research, healthcare innovation and education. Building on his early $1 million gift to support the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center and his ongoing commitment to UMB’s CURE Scholars Program, St. John pledged another $1 million in 2021 to establish a Clinical Stem Cell Laboratory at the University of Maryland Medical Center. This newest contribution underscores his and Jennifer St. John’s enduring dedication to improving lives and fueling scientific progress across the state.

University of Maryland 3 - Institute for Health Computing (UM-3-IHC)

Another transformative partnership is the establishment of the University of Maryland 3 - Institute for Health Computing (UM-3-IHC), led by UMB and UMCP, in collaboration with the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) and Montgomery County, Md.

The new Institute will incorporate technologies, including the use of machine-learning algorithms, to study emerging diseases and help establish precision patient care to halt disease progression. For example, poorly controlled diabetes, high blood pressure, risk of opioid overdose, and early kidney disease can be identified by trending changes in lab tests in outpatients, allowing targeted interventions to prevent disease progression. Such efforts will lead to improved care for the patient yielding better diagnoses and treatments tailored to an individual’s unique health needs.

The Institute will catalyze a clinical data science ecosystem at North Bethesda that draws FDA and NIH investigators, UMB and UMCP faculty, medical bioinformatic educational programs and students, and industry partners, allowing expansion of computational “dry” laboratories, virtual meeting rooms and classrooms.

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Research and Innovation

UMB is a thriving academic health center combining cutting-edge biomedical research, exceptional patient care, and nationally ranked academic programs. With extramural funding totaling $682 million in Fiscal Year 2021, each tenured/tenure-track faculty member generates an average of $1.5 million in research grants each year. The 3,123 faculty members conduct leading-edge research and develop solutions and technologies that impact human health locally and around the world.

UMD is a leading public research institution, propelled by a $1.3 billion joint research enterprise. The university is dedicated to addressing the grand challenges of our time. Spurred by a culture of innovation and creativity, UMD faculty are global leaders in their field and include Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and members of the national academies.

Commitment to Public Health

The University of Maryland School of Public Health (SPH) exemplifies the university's commitment to improving public health and well-being for all. The 2024-2030 SPH Strategic Plan builds upon the school’s excellence across diverse public health fields, strong community partnerships, the growth in its student body, and faculty and staff achievements.

Inspired by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to serve and the core values of Equity, Well-Being, and Respect, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is taking action to address food insecurity on campus.

UMBC: A Partner in Excellence

UMBC is a dynamic public research university integrating teaching, research, and service to benefit the citizens of Maryland. UMBC emphasizes science, engineering, information technology, human services, and public policy at the graduate level. UMBC contributes to the economic development of the State and the region through entrepreneurial initiatives, workforce training, K-16 partnerships, and technology commercialization in collaboration with public agencies and the corporate community.

UMBC was classified as an R1 ("very high research activity") institution in 2022 under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

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