LAS VEGAS — Advocate Health’s hopes its new innovation hub in Charlotte, North Carolina, called The Pearl, will be a game changer for medical research and training in the wake of federal divestment in the sector.

“The healthcare industry really is at the crossroads. We're facing headwinds galore of shrinking innovation budgets and federal funding cycles that are truly drying up,” said Dr. Rasu Shrestha, chief innovation and commercialization officer at Advocate, during a presentation at HLTH 2025 on Monday. “At the same time, we feel the tailwinds of rising demand for transformation. Patients, providers, communities: they're demanding better outcomes.”

Since January, the Trump administration has slashed money dedicated to medical research at academic health systems like Advocate. Between

See Full Page