OSU President Kayse Shrum, far left, and Interim OSU Center for Health Sciences President Johnny Stephens, far right, with members of the Hardesty family, from left, Debbie Cristo, Alex Cristo, Michelle Hardesty, Connor Hardesty, Roger Hardesty, Jessie Cristo and Paul Cristo cut the ceremonial ribbon at the opening of the Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience.

OSU Medicine celebrates opening of Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Media Contact: Sara Plummer | Communications Coordinator | 918-561-1282 | sara.plummer@okstate.edu

OSU Center for Health Sciences and the National Center for Wellness and Recovery held a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 14 for the Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience.

The Hardesty Family Foundation donated $2 million for the establishment of the center to aid in research and clinical trials related to NCWR’s mission of addiction research and treatment.

Several members of the Hardesty family attended the ribbon-cutting event as well as Interim OSU-CHS President Johnny Stephens, OSU President Kayse Shrum, U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell and Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum.

“Oklahoma State University is committed to solving our society’s most pressing issues,” said Shrum, who previously served as OSU-CHS president and dean of the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. “In fact, the opioid crisis was the first pandemic OSU endeavored to find solutions to.”

OSU Medicine opened its Addiction Medicine Clinic in 2018 and then established the National Center for Wellness and Recovery in 2019.

The 49,000 square foot Hardesty Center, 1013 E. 66th Place in Tulsa, is another tool in responding and finding answers to addiction and substance use disorders across the state and country.

“This is such an important facility because of the research and innovation that will be done inside these four walls. It’s important not just for the city and the region, but the state of Oklahoma,” Pinnell said. “What OSU is doing right here is the beginning of something special for Tulsa and for Oklahoma that when people begin thinking about Oklahoma they think about the world-class unmatched research that will be done right here.”

The center also houses the OSU Medicine Biomedical Imaging Center that utilizes an advanced MRI to support clinical studies of brain structure and function as well as other advanced technology to measure brain activity in infants, children and adults.

“The Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience is equipped with space for clinical trials and is home to the most advanced MRI system in the state,” Shrum said. “The generous gift from the Hardesty Family Foundation will allow OSU and NCWR to find personalized, evidence-based therapies for those struggling with addiction.”