Medical School and Phoenix VA Launch Innovative Research Space
The Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS) Research Space will open this month in the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus. This innovative partnership will accelerate the application of medical research discovery into clinical practice.

“Our veterans have earned and deserve the best possible health care, and we believe that the best possible health care can only happen through innovation,” said Samuel Aguayo, MD, associate chief of staff for research at the Phoenix VA Health Care System. “Our veterans are volunteering for our research studies because they understand that the benefit is for them and for others.”
Dr. Aguayo, a distinguished pulmonologist, is the inaugural director of this PVAHCS Research Space. “We are blessed with a number of people who have a common vision,” he said.
Phoenix continues to grow with more than 6,000 people moving to the area monthly. This trend is expected to increase as employment opportunities and cost of living make Phoenix a highly desirable metropolitan community. The fifth largest city in the United States, Phoenix needs skilled physicians and health care professionals to care for its growing population.

A culmination of tireless efforts among the college, the PVAHCS, the City of Phoenix Economic Development office and the Mayor of Phoenix’s office, the state-of-the-art research space showcases the dedication to driving economic development and providing life-changing medical treatments for veterans and the Phoenix community. For Dr. Aguayo, this research space is a vision he and others have worked for the last decade to create.
“The Phoenix VA and University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix continue to lead by developing first-in-the-nation partnerships that serve as a role model for other academic medical centers across the country,” explained City of Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “We are proud to support the Phoenix Biomedical Campus for continuing to be a key generator of economic impact for Phoenix and Arizona.”
Since opening in 2007, the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix has partnered with the PVAHCS to prepare the college’s medical students and residents on the diverse health needs of veterans. As part of that collaboration, many third-year medical students rotate through the PVAHCS during their clerkships, in which they learn first-hand from top doctors how to provide excellent care to veterans.

The partnership has grown through the years spanning many departments, including radiology, neurology, dermatology, internal medicine and, most recently, clinical informatics.
“We have worked hard to expand our collaboration with the Phoenix VA, and to enhance the scope of research on the campus,” said Guy Reed, MD, MS, dean of the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix. “Our investigators will help use this data to treat illnesses in areas of unmet medical need, such as mental health, traumatic brain injury, skin cancer, heart disease and numerous other conditions. The insights that they gain will fuel the development of new therapies, new algorithms, new devices, new approaches for improving care.”
A direct benefit to patients will be the ability to attract top talent in a variety of specialties, individuals who participate in research and education in addition to treating patients. The Phoenix community will benefit from having a thriving health sciences campus.
About the College
Founded in 2007, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix inspires and trains exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to advance its core missions in education, research, clinical care and service to communities across Arizona. The college’s strength lies in our collaborations and partnerships with clinical affiliates, community organizations and industry sponsors. With our primary affiliate, Banner Health, we are recognized as the premier academic medical center in Phoenix. As an anchor institution of the Phoenix Bioscience Core, the college is home to signature research programs in neurosciences, cardiopulmonary diseases, immunology, informatics and metabolism. These focus areas uniquely position us to drive biomedical research and bolster economic development in the region.
As an urban institution with strong roots in rural and tribal health, the college has graduated more than 1,000 physicians and matriculates 130 students each year. Greater than 60% of matriculating students are from Arizona and many continue training at our GME sponsored residency programs, ultimately pursuing local academic and community-based opportunities. While our traditional four-year program continues to thrive, we will launch our recently approved accelerated three-year medical student curriculum with exclusive focus on primary care. This program is designed to further enhance workforce retention needs across Arizona.
The college has embarked on our strategic plan for 2025 to 2030. Learn more.