Welcome to the web site of the Virginia Commonwealth University Reanimation Engineering Shock Center (VCURES). VCURES is a multidisciplinary collaborative effort among clinicians, basic scientists, and engineers of diverse backgrounds at the VCU Medical and Academic Campuses to improve the survival from the disease state called shock. This includes its prevention, pathophysiologic basis, diagnosis, and treatment. We invite you to look closely at our team and resources and our many areas of investigation. We think you will agree that we are unique in our breadth and depth and are at the cutting edge of this field. Please feel free to provide us feed back. We will be happy to answer any questions you have as well as discuss how you may be able to help us in this exciting mission.

 HISTORY OF VCURES

 VCURES was initially developed as a collaborative effort between the Departments of Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology, and Surgery. This effort quickly blossomed to involve numerous schools, departments, and centers throughout the university creating many unique opportunities for multidisciplinary study between specialties and departments where none have traditionally existed. The initial enthusiasm and support for such an effort resulted in the formal establishment of VCURES in February 2000 by the VCU School of Medicine in Richmond, VA. Much of what makes VCURES unique are the history, resources, and initiative of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)

VCU is a Carnegie 1 Research Institution, which means it is among the top 75 colleges and universities in funded research in the country. The VCU Health System with its School of Medicine and 900-bed Medical College of Virginia Hospitals is one of the country's largest health sciences centers (containing schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and allied health) and is consistently ranked among the country's best health centers by such organizations as U.S. News and World Report. Its emergency department, trauma center, critical care units, and operative services are among the busiest in the country. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system of Richmond is among the most sophisticated systems in the world. The VCU Department of Emergency Medicine and VCURES senior investigators provide the medical direction for this system. Other examples of outstanding programs within the VCU Health System, which VCURES is privileged to collaborate with include the Medical Informatics and Technology Applications Consortium (MedITAC), which, is a unique NASA Commercial Space Center, established to develop, evaluate, and promote information and medical technologies for space flight and ground applications. The VCU Health Center also has strong clinical and academic ties to the 743-bed Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center, which afford additional opportunities for research and patient care collaboration.

• The new and expanding School of Engineering and development of special efforts and programs including the Center for Bioelectronics, Biosensors, and Biochips (C3B). The School of Engineering is one of the essential components of VCURES.
  
  
• VCU's new Life Sciences Initiative focusing on biological complexity including construction of a new 132,000 square foot Life Sciences Building will provide enormous opportunities considering shock is one of the most complex entities known to man.
  
  
• The Virginia Biotechnology and Research Park represents another strategic vision and investment by VCU, the city of Richmond, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Park is a technology center dedicated to fostering development of Virginia's biosciences industry through technology transfer, new business formation, expansion of existing businesses and business attraction. The park is currently comprised of 6 buildings with over 300,000 square feet of office, research, and laboratory space and is home to over 37 companies with more on the way. VCURES is currently collaborating with several of the Park's tenants. Its nearby location to the VCU Medical and Academic campus aids in collaborative efforts.