Uploaded February 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Karen Johnston, MD, Director of the Integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia, or iTHRIV.
Transcript:
I feel like I have the best job around. I get to work with brilliant scientists on interdisciplinary teams and think with them about new ways for research discovery to benefit human health. I especially love working with early career researchers as their enthusiasm and energy is just infectious.
My name is Karen Johnston and I'm a vascular neurologist and the director of the Integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia, or iTHRIV.
I lead a large team of diverse researchers across the state of Virginia. We're helping to mitigate the barriers that slow down the translation of new discoveries, getting to our patients and communities to improve their lives.
Our iTHRIV team helps researchers to translate their most innovative ideas into actual treatments and cures for our patients. Innovative translational discoveries include things like gene therapy for rare diseases or the repurposing of existing medicines to treat other conditions. There are many things that can slow down the process of getting these new treatments and cures into our communities.
This is where iTHRIV comes in. We help overcome these obstacles to find solutions to complex health challenges. We are excited about the opportunity to accelerate all types of health related discoveries, including all the work that is about to start in the new Manning Institute for Biotechnology.
Karen Johnston, MD, Director of the Integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia, or iTHRIV.
Transcript:
I feel like I have the best job around. I get to work with brilliant scientists on interdisciplinary teams and think with them about new ways for research discovery to benefit human health. I especially love working with early career researchers as their enthusiasm and energy is just infectious.
My name is Karen Johnston and I'm a vascular neurologist and the director of the Integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia, or iTHRIV.
I lead a large team of diverse researchers across the state of Virginia. We're helping to mitigate the barriers that slow down the translation of new discoveries, getting to our patients and communities to improve their lives.
Our iTHRIV team helps researchers to translate their most innovative ideas into actual treatments and cures for our patients. Innovative translational discoveries include things like gene therapy for rare diseases or the repurposing of existing medicines to treat other conditions. There are many things that can slow down the process of getting these new treatments and cures into our communities.
This is where iTHRIV comes in. We help overcome these obstacles to find solutions to complex health challenges. We are excited about the opportunity to accelerate all types of health related discoveries, including all the work that is about to start in the new Manning Institute for Biotechnology.
