10 Comments on Scripps Florida’s 10th

In October 2003, Florida Governor Jeb Bush announced plans to establish a major science center in Palm Beach County, Florida, focusing on biomedical research, technology development and drug design. Scripps Florida, a division of the nonprofit Scripps Research Institute, was officially established in early 2004, with financial support from the state, county and later private donors.

Now, 10 years later, Scripps Florida has established deep roots in the Florida community, while fulfilling its mission to advance biomedical research, improve human health and train the next generation of scientists. Here, a number of individuals reflect on Scripps Florida’s “decade of discovery.”

“We are tremendously proud to celebrate Scripps Florida’s 10th anniversary. Thanks to the support of the people of Florida and Palm Beach County, Scripps Florida has grown into a world-class research center and beacon of scientific education. I look forward to our next decade of discovery, education and community partnerships.”

• Hear more from Marletta about Scripps Florida on WPTV’s To The Point show with Michael Williams

—Michael A. Marletta, president and CEO of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI)

“This great milestone would not have been possible without the support and commitment of Palm Beach County leaders and the entire community. To Dr. Marletta and the entire Scripps team, congratulations on a decade of discovery. Keep up the fantastic work.”

—Jeb Bush, former Governor of the State of Florida

“My wife and I have a son, Matt, who back in 1972 was diagnosed with terminal cancer. They gave him six weeks to live and no hope of being able to treat the disease. We found some experimental research and today, Matt is 41 years old and works with me every day in my business. I will do everything I can do to help other families experience the great joy of having first-class research of the kind that solved our child’s problem. That’s what Scripps is all about.”

—Richard Gephardt, chairman of the TSRI Board of Trustees, president and CEO of Gephardt Government Affairs and former U.S. Congressman and House Majority and Minority Leader

“As more highly qualified jobs become available, more of our community’s talented young people will remain here... When you add to that the potential to extend and improve lives through biomedical discoveries, Scripps Florida becomes a truly compelling place in which to invest philanthropically. I hope you will join Renate and me in this philanthropic support.”

—Alexander Dreyfoos, TSRI trustee and donor, chairman and owner of The Dreyfoos Group and chairman of the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

“What has been accomplished over the past decade has been spectacular—through the recruitment of first-rate faculty colleagues, graduate students and postdoctoral associates, and the establishment of state-of-the-art research facilities. Equally important has been the creation of a highly collaborative culture, enabling and encouraging scientists from different disciplines to come together to work on important problems at the interface of chemistry and biology. This environment has had a transformative effect on my research. I fully expect the fruits of our collective efforts—significant contributions to biomedical research that benefit the public—to be increasingly prominent in the second decade of TSRI in Florida.”

—William Roush, professor, associate dean of graduate studies and executive director of medicinal chemistry, Scripps Florida

“The Scripps Florida campus is graced with beautiful state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technologies, but the most valuable assets on campus are the people—this is a truly talented group of scientists that collaborate in very innovative and unexpected ways. Their creativity and passion give the campus a rare energy that makes it exciting to come to work—the talented supporting scientific and administrative staff love to work here because you get to be a part of something much larger and greater than yourself. I am very honored and humbled to be a part of it.”

—Dawn Johnson, senior director of scientific operations, Scripps Florida

"I want to touch on something that too often gets overlooked here. In my 30-year career in scientific research at several different institutions, I have never witnessed the dedication and commitment to service that I see in the support staff at Scripps Florida. All of the support staff—Procurement, IT services, Human Resources, the administrative assistants, Facilities services and all the others—make us more productive as scientists. They facilitate our research efforts in an extraordinary way.”

—Ron Davis, chair of the Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Florida

“Frankly, the feeling of starting a tenure-track job to me was like first day in the school. What I realized soon was this new job has wrapped in it three wonderful gifts: 1) a great working atmosphere, 2) an opportunity to lead a healthy lifestyle and 3) the appreciation of beauty. I have great colleagues, I run/walk/bike to work and I see a rainbow piercing through the fountain, yes, almost every day! I am glad to be a part of Scripps Florida.“

—Srinivasa Subramaniam, assistant professor, Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Florida

"In its first decade, Scripps Florida has established itself as a noteworthy source of innovation in drug discovery and biotechnology. Companies such as Envoy Therapeutics, Receptos and Ember Therapeutics can trace their roots to technology developed at or in collaboration with Scripps Florida. In the coming weeks, we will be announcing a new drug discovery initiative and the formation of a startup company focused on developing therapeutics for autoimmune diseases. We look forward to continuing the tradition of translational discovery at Scripps and increasing our footprint in the biotech ecosystem, both in Florida and nationally."

—Todd Huffman, TSRI director of drug discovery partnerships

"For someone who grew up in Palm Beach County, it is amazing to see the ripple effect that Scripps Florida has had on this area over the past 10 years. The scientists brought here, trained here, and the jobs created because of our institute and others that followed are an incalculable boon. With the arrival of Scripps, the research field in South Florida received a huge jumpstart, and you can see that impact just by the sheer number of new partnerships and collaborations. I can't wait to see the impact after another 10 years."

—Briana Weiser, Scripps Florida graduate student and former summer intern

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