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The new Brigham and Women’s Hospital Biomedical Research Institute (BWH-BRI) was announced at the eighth annual Research Report and Celebration. BWH President Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, offered welcoming remarks that emphasized the important role that research plays in BWH’s tripartite mission. The event’s full agenda also included a state of the research enterprise presentation by Senior Vice President for Research Barbara Bierer, MD. The annual McArthur Award and Service Awards rounded out the formal portion of the evening, which was followed by a celebratory reception for BWH’s research community.
State of the Research Enterprise Bierer shared with the audience the status of BWH’s research enterprise, which continued to flourish in fiscal year 2004 (FY 04). BWH remains a leading recipient of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), second only to its sister organization, Massachusetts General Hospital. NIH continues to be BWH’s largest research sponsor, providing 61 percent of all investigative funding.
In order to carry out its research mission, BWH Research employs approximately 2,300 staff members, including more than 800 research fellows. Additionally, the total expenditures for the research mission were nearly $363 million in FY 04, representing a compounded annual growth rate of approximately 10 percent over the last ten years.
Bierer explained that, like other hospital disciplines, the Research Council continues to assess solutions to ongoing space challenges for the hospital’s scientific community. Introducing BWH-BRI Attention then focused on the central message of the meeting when Michael Brenner, MD, chair of the Research Council and co-chair of the Research Institute Steering Committee announced the components of the new BWH-BRI that are beginning to take shape. Brenner explained the institute as a product of nearly 18 months of planning by the Research Planning Group. Brenner emphasized that the institute will be inclusive for all BWH investigators and will “establish opportunities to develop and strengthen interdisciplinary affinity groups, help to define research career paths and more effective fundraising for research.”
“We bring science to medicine,” said Cynthia Morton, PhD, who followed Brenner to provide context for the unique opportunities that the BWH-BRI presents to BWH’s many talented researchers. Drs. Arlene Sharpe, Gordon Williams, Elliott Kieff and Thomas Kupper provided further details on the new research entity at BWH, discussing its platforms and programs, research centers and governance. Many of those who presented then fielded questions as part of a panel discussion.
To clarify the intent of the BWH-BRI, Bierer said, “This was established to enrich the identity of BWH Research and to help strengthen the existing collaborations that we have with surrounding and associated institutions.”
Speizer Receives High Honor The BWH-BRI announcement and panel discussion gave way to the presentation of this year’s McArthur Research Service Award. The award, supported by the Susan, Katarina and Isabella McArthur Radovsky Endow-ment Fund, is presented annually to a member or members of the BWH Research faculty who exemplify the spirit of community by volunteering time and effort to the members of our organization. The 2005 McArthur Award was presented to Frank Speizer, MD, co-director of BWH’s Channing Lab and creator of the BWH’s landmark Nurses’ Health Study. “Frank’s mentorship and contributions to research at BWH far exceed the walls of the Channing Lab,” said Brenner.
Awarding Length of Service Ten researchers were then honored for serving BWH for more than 20 years. Those recognized at the event included Howard Hiatt, MD, professor of medicine (40 years); Nicholas Tilney, MD, Francis D. Moore professor of surgery (40 years); Richard Stevens, PhD, professor of medicine (25 years); Walter Willett, DrPH, Dr.Phil., MD, professor of medicine (25 years); and Richard Maas, MD, PhD, professor of medicine (20 years). Others who have provided more than 20 years of service to BWH Research include Donald Ingber, MD, PhD (20); David Demaso, MD (20); James Taylor, MD (25); Rebekah Taube, MA (30); and Jocelyn Spragg, PhD (35). Research staff had good cause to celebrate at the upbeat program and preview of future initiatives for this growing and vibrant part of BWH’s mission.