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Q: What would be in the new 15-story research tower?
A: For the Lurie Research Center, certain research areas were targeted. In the strategic plan, we've defined the areas where we need to grow the enterprise. Those areas continue to be emphasized. There's a certain logic that if you add on to a genetics floor that the addition should be genetics. We've designed the Lurie Research Center such that if we add a tower, it would be directly adjacent to and connected to the current structure. We'll see how the research goes, where the opportunities are, the critical paths we have, and go from there. We'll continue to recruit to the programmatic themes in the strategic plan when we recruit for the new tower. (Jeff Miller)
Q: Could you give us some concrete examples of what has happened as a result of the improved relations with NMH?
A: For the first time, we're engaging in joint planning, including meetings to define what constitutes a great academic medical center, how to measure success, and what it will take to get us there in terms of resources. An example on the clinical side is that NMH and NMFF are now insured by one carrier. This has led us to work together much more effectively in the defense of malpractice suits and in addressing issues of patient safety. This has the important effect of diminishing malpractice liability. We also believe the improved relationships will translate into more support for programs that are of unique benefit to both organizations. (Dean Landsberg)
I would add that joint recruitment is a result. I don't think we would have been able to recruit new leadership to the heart program here if it weren't a combined effort with combined resources and a well-coordinated view of what we were trying to accomplish on both the clinical and research side of both enterprises. We had better discussions than we've had, reached the right conclusion, and recruited the right talent. That's one of several examples. (Jeff Miller)
Q: The NIH has requested applications for Clinical Translation of Science Awards. Do you want to make some predictions about how that might impact the medical school?
A: When Elias Zherhouni became director of the NIH, he said he wanted to re-engineer the clinical research enterprise in the country. He wasn't kidding. He has put forth major plans. Our General Clinical Research Center is one of about 75 such units in the country. The program that funds the GCRC is disappearing and will be subsumed by this new program in clinical and translational science. Another thing that will be subsumed by this program are the institutional K awards. In addition to subsuming these programs, there's a possibility of securing awards in excess of $6 million more per institution over and above what the institution was getting for its GCRC and K awards. The plan as laid out is that ultimately 60 awards will be given, 4 to 7 in the first year. Many of the faculty members have begun to work on different aspects of this application that will be critically important. We hope that in the first or second round we will be a recipient of one of these awards.
This will change the structure of clinical research at the medical school. Jeff mentioned that we have created the position of executive associate dean for clinical and translational research, filled by Dr. Phil Greenland. We believe we're in a good position to effectively compete for one of these awards. We will, as required by the awards, develop a new program, center, institute, or department focused on clinical and translational research. The application deadline for the awards is the end of March. We have a lot of work to do. The hope is to exploit in a more concrete fashion basic scientific discoveries that have potential applications for the treatment of human disease. (Dean Landsberg)
Q: What is the fate of the old Prentice Hospital, in respect to the land and its uses?
A: That land reverts to NU. The land agreement with NMH states that they turn it over to us within three years of vacating it. Demolition will probably be sooner rather than later. Ultimately, that is the planned site for our next research building. (Dean Landsberg)