Friedlander had brought his family from Houston to the Star City to launch what would become Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion. From potential to a ‘spectacular’ startRoanoke-based businessman and philanthropist Heywood Fralin saw the potential from what was originally called Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute. In 2018, Fralin, his wife, Cynthia, and his late brother’s namesake, Horace C. Fralin Charitable Trust, donated $50 million for the biomedical research institute. And so we’re not just selling the research institute and all the great facilities, we kind of sell the community. Stephen LaConte, professor and interim co-director at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC’s Addiction Recovery Research Center.