Commonwealth Medical College is poised to benefit the local economy, local business leaders heard over lunch, Friday.
Dr. Daniel C. Flynn, Associate Dean for the medical school in Scranton, addressed the annual WEDCO Innovator of the Year luncheon. The school was accredited in October 2008 and is educating its first class of 65 students. They had 1,300 applications. Classes began in August.
Presently using temporary facilities at Lackawanna College, they have purchased property for a permanent location. Expectations are to eventually serve over 500 students with 175 faculty members. a major goal of the institution is to help fill the need for more physicians in various specialties, across northeast Pennsylvania.
Dr. Flynn said that they also foresee helping to develop the region’s economy. One way that will be done will be to encourage formation of bio-technical companies. Working with WEDCO, he said they may be able to locate some in Wayne County. They currently have 35 faculty; in addition to teaching, 20 are involved in research. When a faculty researcher has an idea for a company, a federal grant will be sought as well as a patent. To help bio-tech ventures to get underway, Commonwealth Medical College proposes to provide lower cost laboratory space for the first three years of the project.
The Commonwealth Medical College faculty are actively pursuing research in molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, physiology, microbiology, biostatistics, and bioinformatics.
Innovator of the Year award
WEDCO President James LaBar presented the 2009 Innovator of the Year award to Stone Silo Foods, Gouldsboro. The company was founded in 1994 by David and Laurie Hazzard, and business partner Jim Struble. For several years, the Hazzards operated a restaurant in South Sterling. They now co-own and operate a successful food manufacturing company specializing in seafood products.