The center for integrative research in critical care (M-CIRCC) is a collaborative effort between scientists and health providers to find new ideas and improve treatment and prevention for critical illness. In addition to government grants, the center seeks to secure private funding for its research. Currently, the center is accepting proposals for new funding.
M-CIRCC
The M-CIRCC Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care is a collaborative effort to solve critical care problems. It brings together experts in critical care and other fields to share ideas and research methods. It has already drawn more than 50 U-M faculty members, and more are expected to join as the Center begins to take shape. The collaborative environment provides a scientific home and a platform for new partnerships. And its shared research resources will reduce barriers to innovation.
The Center is part of a world-class research enterprise at U-M. It integrates medical, engineering, and trauma research to improve the care of people with critical illness and injury. It also draws on cutting-edge expertise in applied basic science and engineering. Together, these areas of research hold enormous promise for improving patient care and outcomes.
Max Harry Weil
Max Harry Weil, MD, was one of the world’s foremost physicians who helped develop the specialty of critical care medicine. His pioneering work led to the development of intensive care units and strategies for treating the sickest hospital patients. He died at age 84 in his Rancho Mirage, Calif., home on April 5. During his career, Weil spent most of his time at the University of Southern California. He worked as a professor there from 1958 to 1981, when he established the Institute for Critical Care.
Weil founded the first crash cart and bedside shock cart. He is regarded as a pioneer in critical care, and his pioneering research spanned multiple disciplines. He has more than 20 patents and was the first president of the Society of Critical Care Medicine. His name is also a powerful brand, which will help the center forge new collaborations with other medical centers and attract donors who share Weil’s vision for the field.
Weil Institute
The Weil Institute for Integrative Research in Critical Care has received $10 million in a gift from the Weil Family Foundation to advance research at Michigan Medicine. Formerly known as the Michigan Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care, the institute has been developing technology and treatments for critically ill patients. The Weil Institute brings together multidisciplinary teams and donors to address critical care challenges.
The institute’s faculty includes Dr. Esther Sternberg, who has been the director of the Center for Integrative Medicine since 2012. She is also a world-renowned expert in brain-immune interactions and the founding director of the UA Institute for Place and Wellbeing, which brings health and design professionals together. Andrew Weil, MD, trained in rheumatology at McGill University. His generous gift will benefit the Institute in perpetuity.
Grand Challenge competition
The Michigan Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care has launched the Massey TBI Grand Challenge, a competition that aims to find new ways to diagnose and treat TBI in the early hours of care. The competition also includes the Massey TBI Summit, a gathering of leading national scientists and key opinion leaders who are focused on the future of TBI research. The competition also involves the Massey Emergency Critical Care Center, an ICU-level center devoted to research on trauma and other critical conditions.
Weil’s contributions to critical care
Weil’s contributions to critical care have influenced medical practice throughout the United States. He coined the term “critical care” and helped develop the concept of a multidisciplinary team for patients with severe illnesses. This team included specially trained nurses, pharmacologists, respiratory therapists, and nutritionists. They worked together to develop innovative therapies that improve the quality of life for these patients.
In addition to founding the Institute of Critical Care Medicine, Weil was also an active researcher. His research focused on acute lung failure, circulatory shock, and infections. He retired from his administrative duties in 2006, and the Institute is now known as the Weil Institute of Critical Care Medicine.