{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.mccormick.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-mccormick-hosts-nih-director-for-visit-to-university-of-pennsylvania/", "Senator McCormick Hosts NIH Director for Visit to University of Pennsylvania", "2026-03-31", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "PA", "David McCormick", "M001243", "www.mccormick.senate.gov", "davemccormick", "https://www.mccormick.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Tour Showcases Pennsylvania\u2019s Role at the Forefront of Life Sciences Innovation\n\nPHILADELPHIA, PA \u2013 U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) today hosted National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya for a full-day visit to Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where they met with researchers, clinicians, and innovators advancing some of the nation\u2019s most groundbreaking biomedical research. The visit underscored how federal research investment supports lifesaving medical breakthroughs, strengthens America\u2019s global leadership in science, and drives economic growth across Pennsylvania.\n\n\u201cPennsylvania is helping lead the future of life sciences, and it was an honor to welcome Director Bhattacharya to Philadelphia to see that work up close,\u201d said Senator McCormick. \u201cAt Penn, researchers are translating cutting-edge science into real treatments that are saving lives and giving families hope. With world-class institutions, talented researchers, and emerging tools and technologies like artificial intelligence accelerating discovery, Pennsylvania is well positioned to continue leading the next generation of medical innovation.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs I said yesterday, Pennsylvania shows what\u2019s possible when regional collaboration is focused on saving lives, and it\u2019s a model for how NIH investment turns scientific discovery into real care for patients. I\u2019ve been especially inspired by Baby KJ, whose rare genetic disorder was treated using personalized gene editing developed right here at Penn and CHOP. It\u2019s a powerful reminder that when NIH backs bold science, breakthroughs once thought impossible can become reality. We also saw where CAR-T therapy was first used to treat blood cancers. Not long ago, that work struggled to secure funding, and today, it\u2019s one of the most important advances in cancer treatment. That\u2019s why we\u2019re expanding opportunities for innovative, high-impact research through NIH\u2019s Unified Funding Strategy; so promising but unproven ideas have a real chance to succeed, and NIH investment can continue to save lives and pave the way for what comes next,\u201d said NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.\n\n\u201cLike Penn\u2019s tightly integrated campus, what sets Philadelphia\u2019s eds and meds apart is our critical mass of expertise and pioneering research \u2013 all nearby, in sync, and of service to all Pennsylvanians,\u201d said Penn President J. Larry Jameson. \u201cWe were honored to welcome Senator McCormick and Dr. Bhattacharya and showcase how our historic partnerships continue advancing our Commonwealth and country, while also discussing innovative ways to drive progress for the future.\u201d\n\nPart of a two-day visit with NIH Director Bhattacharya, Senator McCormick convened researchers, clinicians, university leaders, and innovators to highlight how NIH-supported research is driving medical progress and strengthening Pennsylvania\u2019s life sciences ecosystem.\n\nAt the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, Senator McCormick and Director Bhattacharya observed how Penn Medicine integrates patient care with clinical research to accelerate \u201cbench-to-bedside\u201d breakthroughs. Close connections among Penn Medicine\u2019s hospitals and research centers \u2014 as well as with Penn\u2019s other schools like Penn Nursing, Engineering, Penn Dental, Veterinary Medicine, and Arts and Sciences \u2014 create a powerful research ecosystem where NIH-funded investigators develop new therapies and models of care.\n\nSenator McCormick and Director Bhattacharya also toured a CAR-T cell therapy laboratory, where they met with Dr. Carl June and discussed the groundbreaking workin this personalized cell therapy \u2013 in which patients\u2019 own immune cells are engineered to fight their cancers \u2013 pioneered at Penn. The discussion highlighted how early federal research investment helped establish the scientific foundation for cell and gene therapies, which are now transforming patient care and offering new hope to those with previously untreatable diseases. Throughout the tour, Senator McCormick and Director Bhattacharya also heard from patients and families about the real-world impact of these medical breakthroughs.\n\nThe day concluded with a roundtable discussion with regional partners focused on the future of biomedical innovation, including how federal research partnerships can continue to accelerate discovery, support biotechnology commercialization, and expand access to life-saving treatments.\n\nThe University of Pennsylvania is consistently among the top recipients of NIH funding nationwide, receiving $723 million in NIH support in FY2025, ranking fifth nationally. Penn\u2019s NIH-funded research spans critical areas including cancer, neuroscience, cardiovascular disease, aging, population health, and health services research, along with leading work in genomics, gene and cell therapy, and bioengineering.\n\nPennsylvania ranks as the fourth largest recipient of NIH funding in the nation, receiving $2.27 billion in federal research funding in FY2025. Statewide, NIH investment supports more than 21,000 research jobs and generates $5.31 billion in annual economic activity.\n\nNIH-driven innovation has also helped launch thousands of businesses and nearly 100,000 biopharmaceutical jobs across the Commonwealth. For every dollar invested in NIH research, $2.56 flows back into the economy, delivering a strong return for American taxpayers.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-07T05:38:05Z", "2026-04-07T05:39:14Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.mccormick.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-mccormick-hosts-nih-director-for-visit-to-university-of-pennsylvania/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.0316860172897577, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}