Arbor Research Collaborative for Health moves into new HQ, expects 2011 hires

Fifteen years ago the Arbor Research Collaborative for Health was just getting its start with two people and a research grant for kidney dialysis. Today the non-profit employs 70 people in a number of research fields, and is hiring so steadily that it’s moving into one of downtown Ann Arbor’s premier office spaces.The Arbor Research Collaborative for Health is set to take over the third floor of the University of Michigan Credit Union’s new headquarters, the old Ann Arbor News building at Huron and Division streets. That’s 20,000 square feet for a non-profit that hired six people last year and expects to keep adding more staff in 2011.”We are anticipating growing 5-15 percent a year,” says Robert Merion, president of Arbor Research Collaborative for Health. “This move will facilitate five years’ worth of growth.”The non-profit now focuses on conducting research for all organ failures and transplants. It is also expanding into more medical-centric areas, most recently taking on some studies on health-care quality. “As we identify new opportunities for new research funding that will require us to add research staff,” Merion adds.Source: Robert Merion, president of Arbor Research Collaborative for HealthWriter: Jon ZemkeRead more about Metro Detroit’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.