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Big 5: Translational Research in the Life Sciences

Nick Haines sat down with Dr. David Livingston, the deputy director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center in Boston, to untangle the complicated subject of translational research.

Last fall when the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce unveiled their five big ideas for moving the metro forward, they named life sciences as one of them. More specifically the initiative is branded as “Growing Kansas City’s Medical Research, From Discovery to Cure.” The overarching goal of this big idea is to make KC a nationally-recognized center for translational research.

Translational research is the hot new area in the life sciences. It means moving discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside.

Patrick James, managing director of Quest Diagnostics, is leading the Chamber’s Big 5 life sciences effort. He was the emcee at a major gala dinner last week to celebrate the work of the Kansas City Life Sciences Insitute. Over 600 guests gathered to hear from area scientists.

Sometimes though it takes an outsider to put your accomplishments into perspective. The gala’s keynote speaker was the deputy director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center in Boston, Dr. David Livingston. Nick Haines sat down with Dr. Livingston to untangle the complicated subject of translational research.

Graphic giving thanks to Big 5 underwriters Burns & McDonnnell, UMB, Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute and Swope Community Enterprises

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Transforming Troost: We Are Superman

On 31st and Troost, there is a community of people who have stopped waiting for a superhero to rescue the neighborhood. They have a vision to transform the dividing line of Troost Avenue into a gathering place. They’ve even produced a film about their work called We Are Superman: The Transformation of 31st and Troost.

Another of the Chamber’s 5 Big Ideas is revitalizing the Troost Corridor. While the Chamber has ambitious goals for reinvigorating what has long been a blighted area of Kansas City, there are grassroots efforts already underway to transform parts of Troost. On 31st and Troost, there is a community of people who have stopped waiting for a superhero to rescue the neighborhood. They have a vision to transform the dividing line of Troost Avenue into a gathering place. They’ve even produced a film about their work. It’s called We Are Superman: The Transformation of 31st and Troost.

A screening of the new documentary We Are Superman: The Transformation of 31st and Troost, a film by Kevin Bryce will be presented Friday night at 7:30 at the Nelson-Atkins Museum Auditorium. A panel discussion follows the documentary. There is a five dollar admission charge. You can follow the progress of the film on the We Are Superman Facebook page.

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Big 5: Troost Corridor Revitalization

Jim Heeter and Dianne Cleaver discuss the plan for revitalizing the Troost corridor as part of the Chamber's Big 5 Ideas initiative.

For a long time in this city, people have lamented why so little progress, so little improvement and economic development has happened east of Troost Avenue–the symbolic, geographic and racial divide in this city.

Now, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce has agreed to throw its entire weight and influence towards making big changes. As part of what it calls its Big 5 intitiative, the Chamber has picked the Troost corridor for unprecedented focus and civic attention.

The Urban Neighborhood Initiative is one of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s “Big 5” ideas announced in September 2011, aimed at creating economic opportunity and establishing a more vibrant Kansas City region.

The Urban Neighborhood Initiative seeks to collaborate with an interested East Side low-income neighborhood or area to identify and begin to address issues to improve the opportunities of its residents.

This initial effort will involve two phases of work – planning and implementation. Each phase will engage community-wide stakeholders and residents in a process to collaboratively identify issues and resources that can effect change.

Nick Haines sits down with Dianne Cleaver and Jim Heeter to discuss their plan of attack for the Troost corridor revitalization initiative.

Here’s a look at the focus area for the Urban Neighborhood Initiative:

Graphic giving thanks to Big 5 underwriters Burns & McDonnnell, UMB, Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute and Swope Community Enterprises

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Big 5: Entrepreneurial Brainstorming

As part of the Chamber’s Big 5 initiative, eight public forums are underway to get your views. The Local Show checked in on one of them this week at the Kauffman Foundation.

How can we become America’s most entrepreneurial city? As part of the Chamber’s Big 5 initiative, eight public forums are underway to get your views. We checked in on one of them this week at the Kauffman Foundation.

There are four more sessions just like this one going on in the metro. They are all free, but registration each session is limited to 50 people. For more information and to register, go to kauffman.org/big5conversation. By the way, we will check in with Pete deSilva, the head of UMB Bank who is leading the Chamber’s entrepreneurial Big 5 initiative, to see what they learned once they have them all wrapped up.

The Chamber’s Big 5 initiatives were announced last fall – each designed to create jobs and to raise “Big KC” to the next level. The entrepreneurship initiative is championed by Peter deSilva, chairman and CEO of UMB Bank.

The schedule for next week’s meetings:

Sprint Campus – 6300 building, Overland Park (Park in Lot P)

Monday, Feb. 20 – 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Kauffman Foundation – Conference Center, 4801 Rockhill Road, KCMO

Tuesday, Feb. 21 – 11:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Cerner – Vision Center, 2850 Rock Creek Parkway, KCMO

Wednesday, Feb. 22 – 11:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Metropolitan Community College – Mel Aytes Education Center, 500 SW Longview Road, Lee’s Summit

Thursday, Feb. 23 – 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Graphic giving thanks to Big 5 underwriters Burns & McDonnnell, UMB and Swope Community Enterprises

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