Albany Medical College receives 10 million dollar grant - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

Albany Medical College receives 10 million dollar grant

BY TARYN FITSIK

ALBANY, N.Y. --Albany Medical College receives the largest grant in its history, to expand its research opportunities. 10 million dollars in stimulus money will be coming to Albany Medical College, to fund major expansion of bio-medical research, which the school's staff says has an impact far beyond the Capital Region.

"We're a relatively small college, but our impact is international in scope," says Dennis Metzger, a professor at Albany Medical College. "We're training scientists all over the world."

Dennis Metzger says the work being done at Albany Medical Center laboratories has a worldwide reach, that will only continue to grow as a result of the expansion of research facilities.

"We are studying ways to develop vaccines and therapies to treat these infections," says Metzger. "We also have a bio-containment lab here at Albany Medical College to work with some of the more dangerous pathogens."

Albany Med plans to add two additional floors of research labs, causing a ripple effect in regards to jobs and technology, from the construction phase all the way to scientists.

"These are investments in the betterment of society and providing health consumers with new options not yet on the radar screen," says Congressman Paul Tonko.

"Biomedical technology in the future is absolutely going to be a big job industry in the whole of the United States," adds Congressman Scott Murphy. "Particularly here in the Capital Region, we've got a lot of great research going on, and this new facility is going to allow more of that to happen here at Albany Medical Center."

Ultimately, providing local students and researchers opportunities to become a part of an innovation economy.

"The key is to keep them excited to stay in the area, with energy around science and discovery," says Vince Verdile, the Dean of Albany Medical College.

"Our research is really having an international impact, not just in Albany," adds Metzger. "Our papers are being read and studied in investigations throughout the world and they're replicating our results."

The funding for the expansion was made possible mostly through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Construction is expected to take two and a half years and create 50 jobs throughout the process. Once completed, the medical school plans to add 10 research scientists to its staff.