STATE OF THE SCHOOL

HMS Dean Addresses Alums on State of the School

On June 5, Dean Jeffrey Flier addressed some 100 gathered HMS alums to update them on School news from the past year. Flier’s remarks included discussions of HMS’s financial situation, progress on major strategic initiatives, and other highlights.

Flier began with a tribute to Daniel Tosteson, who served as dean of HMS for 20 years and who died on May 27. In honor of Dean Tosteson, the crowd observed a moment of silence.

Photo by Steve Gilbert

Dean Jeffrey Flier suggested that the most important area of achievement at HMS in the last year was the initiation of Harvard Catalyst.

Flier then moved on to a topic of deep concern to many—the financial crisis. He addressed the issue frankly, speaking about the profound and unprecedented effect of the global economic situation on the finances of the University and its schools. He cited several examples of ways in which HMS is addressing the issue, including examining “all possible realignments” of some of HMS’s core administrative and academic functions; rebuilding and strengthening the School’s fundraising program; and identifying new and creative ways to attract sponsored research and other novel sources of revenue. Flier commented on the availability of federal stimulus funds and the resulting “feverish grant writing” by many HMS faculty. “We are sure that we will receive our fair share [of this funding],” said Flier, “and this will bolster our research programs, as well as create jobs.”

Speaking of research, Flier noted with pride the recognition that HMS’s extraordinary faculty have garnered in recent months, including an Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, a MacArthur “genius” grant, and several Howard Hughes Medical Institute early career awards, among many others. Also on the topic of research, Flier discussed the priorities for the School’s future that emerged from the yearlong strategic planning process, which he launched in September 2007 upon becoming dean. Noting that “it is a completely different world financially” from the one in which the strategic planning took place, Flier assured those in attendance that the School is nevertheless moving ahead in several key areas. He presented updates on three: plans for the future of therapeutic discovery at HMS; an initiative to promote collaboration among the strong but disparate community of researchers in human genetics; and a vision for neurobiology that will more effectively link the basic science research on the Quad with the disease-related and basic science research in HMS’s academic medical centers.

In fact, interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration will be vital to the future strength of the Harvard medical community. A major example of such cooperation has already proved to be a tremendous success and a boon to researchers. “The single most important area of achievement in the last year,” remarked Flier, “was probably the initiation of Harvard Catalyst, a pan-Harvard initiative between the Medical School and all its affiliated hospitals in the area of clinical and translational research.”

After speaking briefly about conflict of interest and plans for development of the University’s space in Allston, Flier concluded on an upbeat note. “Despite all the difficulties of the past year,” he said, “I remain extremely optimistic for Harvard Medical School. It is both my personality and the nature of the institution.”

—Jan Reiss

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