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About the Translational Research Hubs

Recognizing the need to accelerate scientific discoveries to advance patient care, BILH has invested in creating a novel approach to translating science from the “bench to the bedside”. This approach is currently being implemented across BILH, originating at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC, our largest academic medical center) and with growing participation from the Joslin Diabetes Center (JDC) and the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center (LHMC), in particular. These Translational Research Hubs are a distinguishing feature of BILH and are the underpinning of our innovation strategy.

The structure of the inter-disciplinary Translational Research Hub provides support and results in cross-collaboration among the BILH scientific community. These four Hubs - Systemic Effects of Metabolic Disease; Pathogens, Immunity, and Inflammation; Neuroscience Connections; and, the Cancer Research Institute - bring together scientists (PhDs) and clinicians (MDs) working on various therapeutic areas who may not have ever met or even imagined working together before the Hubs were established.

Each Hub represents an area of medicine that represents a large patient population within BILH together with outstanding clinical and research experts who work collaboratively for a shared mission

“To prevent, cure and eradicate human disease through accelerated translation of research from bench to bedside”.

Hub Leaders: Dr. Yury Popov, Dr. Z.Gordon Jiang, Dr. Zsu-Zsu Chen

A unique opportunity for new research endeavors, expanded collaborative efforts, sharing of investigational tools and enhanced interactions between laboratory-based and clinical investigators that can be leveraged by institutional, government and foundation grants and contracts with industry.

Hubs also support early-stage investigators to establish their research programs through networking, extensive cross-mentorship and collaboration.

 

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Hubs work to accelerate scientific research progress and increase impact by:

• Facilitating collaborations between basic, translational and physician scientists
• Creating training opportunities in translational research and program project grants
• Expanding sources for research funding with new donations and industry partnerships
• Providing a vital resource for early-stage investigators in establishing their independent research program
• Focusing on a specific disease area and utilizing common platforms of BIDMC core facilities and resources

  • Small Molecule Drug Design
  • Vaccines and Immuno Therapies Development
  • Omics-Precision Medicine Diagnostics Research and Product Development
  • Clinical Research Platform with >1M patients eligible
  • Harvard Initiative for RNA Medicine research center headquartered at BIDMC
  • Digital Medicine/AI/ML Research
  • Medical Imaging Research Pre-Clinical and Clinical Research Facilities

The Hub Pilot Spark Grants provide a pilot grant mechanism for innovative collaborative projects within the unique scope of the Translational Research Hubs by utilizing the advanced technologies offered by the BIDMC Institutional Cores.

Up to eight $50,000 awards may be granted each year to members of the Translational Research Hubs.

Eligibility for grants includes:

  • Members of Translational Research Hubs who are BIDMC faculty at the level of Instructor and up.
  • Grant applications must include a basic/translational and a clinical PI (multiple PIs or PI and Co-PI). Collaborations between different departments/divisions/centers and across disciplines are strongly encouraged.
  • Preference will be given to novel collaborative projects between clinical and basic science investigators for projects with potential for translational implementation.