February 9, 2007

SAC meeting explores current challenges

Next week's annual meeting of the MGH Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) — a group of national scientific leaders who advise the hospital on its research program — will be the 60th such event. All events are open to the entire MGH community. On Feb. 14, the 31st annual Celebration of Science will highlight the work of investigators throughout the MGH. Activities will get under way at 11 am with a poster session at the Richard B. Simches Research Center, featuring 157 posters, 11 of which have been named posters of distinction. As in previous years, eight students from the James P. Timilty Middle School will display posters from their science fair projects, developed with the guidance of MGH mentors.

Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH, will open the scientific research symposium in the Simches 3110 Conference Room at 2 pm. Two presentations will be given by MGH researchers - Vamsi Mootha, MD, of the MGH Center for Human Genetic Research, on "Systems Analysis of Human Mitochondrial Disorders"; and Daniel Haber, MD, PhD, director of the MGH Cancer Center, on "Molecular Targeting of Cancer: Bridging the Gap from Genetics to Therapy." At 4 pm Joan Brugge, PhD, new SAC member and head of the Department of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School, will discuss "Modeling Morphogenesis and Cancer in Three-Dimensional Cell Cultures."

The theme of the Feb. 15 SAC meeting, "MGH Research Security: Soft Silos, Hard Targets," reflects the goal of loosening the traditional specialization 'silos' that separate investigators in different disciplines and the need to sharply focus on the challenges faced by the biomedical research community. Key questions to be addressed in the day's discussions include how MGH research can best prepare for the issues and opportunities of the future; developing and strengthening existing and new collaborative relationships, both locally and nationally; and the best ways to contribute to and influence the future of research funding support. Beginning at 8 am, the meeting also will take place in Simches 3110.