Dinner ceremony to be held on March 19
at Philadelphia’s Ballroom at the Ben
John A. Fry
(February 9, 2015, Philadelphia, PA) – The Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (PICC) will honor the collaborative research among Drexel University (Drexel), The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in Philadelphia and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel (Hebrew University), with the 2015 Yitzhak Rabin Public Service Award on March 19 at Philadelphia’s Ballroom at the Ben. The Rabin Award is the Chamber’s highest distinction for regional businesses, academic institutions and their leaders who exemplify the organization’s goals of broadening business and academic ties between the United States and Israel.
John Fry, President of Drexel University, and Philip R. Johnson, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Executive Vice President, Translational Medicine and Science Director, CHOP Research Institute, Edmond F. Notebaert Chair in Pediatric Research, will receive the award on behalf of their respective institutions. The tri-partnership is designed to focus on pediatric translational research and to develop an innovative, collaborative platform for advancing pediatric medicine from the lab to the bedside. Two teams of researchers from the three institutions are working: one at Drexel investigates a new intravascular blood pump for pediatric patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), and a second group of investigators at CHOP studies Pediatric Transcatheter Valve Replacements: Preventing Device Failure due to Structural Degeneration.
Philip R. Johnson, M.D.
“Drexel, CHOP and the Hebrew University’s collaborative research on pediatric care is very important to strengthening and broadening the entire region’s academic, commercial, and friendship ties with Israel,” said Richard Bendit, Esq., President of the PICC. “Moreover, such joint research elevates the Greater Philadelphia’s rank as a premier center for medical research while opening myriad of new opportunities for future collaborations and further economic impact.”
The three institutions signed a joint research agreement in the presence of Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter during his 2013 trade mission to Israel. Following this visit, in October 2014 the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce together with the City of Philadelphia, Drexel, Comcast Corporation, CHOP, Jefferson University Hospitals, the Israeli Consulate in Philadelphia, and major regional stakeholders hosted an Israeli delegation with a focus in healthcare IT and communications. As a result, the region attracted four Israeli companies which have been expressing interest in opening their US offices in the Greater Philadelphia region.
For more information about the Rabin Dinner and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.phillyisraelchamber.com.
About the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce
The Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (PICC) is the go-to independent organization facilitating connections between Israeli and Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey and Delaware based businesses, governmental agencies and economic development organizations. The PICC also represents the US-Israel Binational R&D (BIRD) Foundation and BIRD Energy in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
About Drexel University
Founded in 1891 in Philadelphia, Drexel is the nation’s 14th largest private university and is ranked among the best national universities by U.S. News & World Report.” Drexel is widely recognized for its focus on experiential learning through its co-operative education program and translational research initiatives. For more information, visit www.drexel.edu.
About The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation’s first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children’s Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 535-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit www.chop.edu.
For more info:
Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce
Vered Nohi-Becker: 302-540-6374 picc@phillyisraelchamber.com
Drexel University
Niki Gianakaris, M.A.: 215-895-6741 ng38@drexel.edu
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Rachel Salis-Silverman: 267-426-6063 salis@email.chop.edu