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Executive Vice President’s Message

Daryll B. DeWald, Executive Vice President and Chancellor, WSU Health Sciences

picture of Dr. Daryll DeWald Welcome to the WSU Health Sciences Spokane website, and thank you for taking the time to learn about us.

It’s a very exciting time for all of us here on our health sciences campus. In recent months, researchers at WSU Health Sciences Spokane have discovered that up to 80 percent of children with autism spectrum disorder experience sleep problems. Other new WSU Health Sciences Spokane research shows that opioid use disorder affects women differently than men. Relatedly, a new class, developed by WSU faculty, teaches health sciences students how to tackle some of the biggest problems in treating patients with opioid use disorder.

These are but three examples of the important work already occurring on campus, and they demonstrate both the growth in research awards, and in programs.

Still, we’ve only just begun this new growth spurt as exemplified by the new Steve Gleason Institute for Neuroscience. As recently announced, our plan is to create a breakthrough clinical research and care unit that will provide motor and cognitive therapy and support for clinical trials of new medications and treatments. We’ll create a unique Smart Home Center that will advance assistive technology. And we’ll host a discovery research unit with laboratories for scientists from all over to come together to discover that next important therapy or prosthetic device or interface to help people with neurodegenerative diseases.

As we work with partners in Spokane’s life sciences industry to connect companies with infrastructure, talent, and a network of clinical partners, we are confident that the community’s combined vision for robust medical education, research and bioscience industry growth in the Spokane area—we call it Vision 2030–will not only be reached, but surpassed.

Our academic programs in medicine, nursing, pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, nutrition and exercise physiology, speech and hearing sciences, health policy and administration, education and criminal justice continue to expand.

And our facilities are growing too. Recently the state legislature approved planning funds for a new biomedical sciences building. We’re also working intently to develop a Health Innovation Center that will bring together education, research and industry to discover new innovations in health care research, delivery and care. The Center would encompass both scientific and clinical research and find ways to address the future of health care.

WSU Health Sciences Spokane is a dynamic and inspiring place to study and work. Please join us as we grow.

Daryll B. DeWald
Executive Vice President and Chancellor, WSU Health Sciences