Ups and downs

(Ups) to a consortium of Cleveland educators and health care providers. The National Institutes of Health recently awarded the group, which includes Case Western Reserve University, The Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, MetroHealth and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, a $14 million grant to create a new program to train the next generation of clinical research leaders.

(Ups) to Case Western Reserve University. Beyond its education focus, last month’s vice presidential debates, hosted by the university, were nearly a year in the making. Case’s efforts focused the spotlight squarely on Northeast Ohio during a tenuous campaign, in which Ohio was a key battleground state.

(Downs) to Krispy Kreme. The donut maker closed its Ravenna plant just 18 months after opening it, citing the low-carb craze for reduced demand for its tasty donuts. Rather than admit its growth strategy was flawed — the company’s stock was trading at astronomical levels that belied its sinking profits — the company fingered a fad diet for its failure.