- Shaped and launched the BWH Center for Human Genetics and integrated the activities and structure of the existing BRI Center for Human Genetics into this larger institutional center.Established council leaders to lead the Outcomes (Robert Green, MD), Interpretive Genomics (Heidi Rehm, PhD) and Translation (Calum Macrae, MD, PhD) endeavors of the BWH Genomics Center.
- OurGenes OurHealth OurcCommunity operations successfully transitioned to the Partners level with continued funding from Partners.
- Held five larger scale symposia focused around the research centers, and launched 2 new monthly seminar series.
- Hosted the 1st Annual BWH Research Day with approximately 1,500 attendees.
- Promoted all appropriate BRI events as Blueprint events, in collaboration with Communications/Public Affairs. BRI authoreed a chapter in the History of BWH
- Continued to explore options for durable BRI funding. Accomplishments: BRI’s Director of Strategy and Innovation has been working diligently to expand our funding repertoire to include significantly more industry funding.
- Initiate Research Enhancement Fund (REF) incentive program Accomplishment: Worked closely with Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD to develop the specifics for the REF.
- Launched the Community Learning Network with CCHHE, which sponsored two successful events for the community including a prostate cancer event in May 2013 and a Nutrition event November 2012.
- Launched Regenerative Medicine center under leadership of Richard T Lee.
- Funded the Infectious Disease and Immunology (IID) Center’s proposal to develop a user toolkit for the new CytoF instrument as well as an iPS cell core through the Regenerative Medicine Center
- Launched various research websites for labs and events, including the Research Day, Clinical Innovation Day, and iHub websites, that utilize a more modern platform, resulting in higher traffic for these sites, better positioning in Google search, and more engagement with website visitors.
- Archived all relevant research news and press releases under their related BRI center/program, providing a more in-depth look at the history of research in those areas.
- Rebranded the Research Connection e-mail newsletter and switched to a more modern platform that streamlined the process for administrative staff to send the emails each week and created a newsletter that is mobile-device friendly, with a sign-up process that is more accessible for subscribers.
Patient Engagement:
Worked with Communication and Public Affairs and Marketing to develop strategies for educating patients on patient-centered research and to promote patient engagement in the research process.
BRI staff members have begun contributing to the BWH HealthHub blog on subjects related to patient-engagement and patient-centered research;
Hosted Seminars/Workshops that focused on educating patients about research and engaging them in the research process. The talks are available on the BRI PCERC website; 4) developed a patient engagement best-practices resource document to educate researchers on patient engagement and promote engagement of patients within research studies; 5) worked with Patient Gateway to outline an online platform for engaging patients in the research process and streamlining clinical trial recruitment.
- Developed a consistent look across BRI Centers for event print and web collateral. Created a look and feel that was highlighted in promotional print/web materials, and across the hospital during Research Day in relevant signage.
- Developed plan and working group around translational medicine center. Met with many stakeholders doing pre-clinical and clinical work. In process.
- Continue to develop relationships with industry partners: connections with more than 180 significant potential industry partners leading to several opportunities. Established Lunch and Learn series bringing industry to present to potential BWH collaborators. Played matchmaker between more than 80 BWH faculty and industry.
- Worked to bring industry relationships to fruition by creating revenue or collaborative opportunities for BWH scientists. Accomplishments: Negotiations and introductions ongoing with AstraZeneca Oncology, Biogen Idec, Verastem, Amgen, Sanofi, Novartis, Ono, Ipsen and many others.
- Additional accomplishments: 1) Launched the BWH Innovation Hub (iHub): http://www.bwhihub.org 2) Hosted first iHub event—the BWH Hackathon—with an anticipated 110 participants and another 50+ attendees 3) Hosted first BWH Clinical Innovation Day with close to 500 attendees; plans in place for 2nd annual