The first Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Clinical Research Day at Stony Brook University Medical Center this spring kicked off a gathering of scientists with the purpose of fostering future research collaboration in the development of new biomedical discoveries and technologies between the two institutions. Faculty from Stony Brook University School of Medicine discussed their individual research, networked with BNL scientists, and displayed posters about their research with BNL scientists.
Kenneth Kaushansky, Senior Vice President, Health Sciences and Dean, School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, launched the day’s program by pointing out that leaders at both institutions have been meeting together during the past several months to explore biomedical research programs and institute collaborations with the opportunities for turning scientific potential into realized progress in biomedicine.
“Key to turning scientific potential into progress in biomedicine,” he added, “is combining the expertise and facilities available at both Stony Brook and BNL through collaborations at all levels of research.”
Urging the group of about 50 scientists, John H. Marburger, Vice President for Research and Professor of Physics and Electrical Engineering at Stony Brook University, and former Director of BNL, spoke of the need for action. “The kinds of programs that we envision require individual researchers to participate,” he said. “We can’t do it all from the top down. Today you can see what opportunities exist for you.”
“Scientists at both Stony Brook and Brookhaven perform critical research,” added Sharon Nachman, Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Dean for Research, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, instrumental in conceiving and organizing the event. “This gathering provides opportunities to form new collaborations that might jumpstart the creation of new treatments or medical technologies.”
Examples of such collaborative work were displayed on posters in the Stony Brook University Hospital lobby. The posters featured aspects of translational medicine, which has the goal of bringing scientific discovery from the bench to the bedside. The research poster titles were varied, including findings and/or technologies related to diagnosing or treating addiction, brain aneurysms, brain tumors, cervical cancer, head and neck cancer, and obesity, among other health-related findings.
BNL Deputy Director for Science and Technology Doon Gibbs explained to the participants that the “possibilities for collaborations and for breakthroughs are really high,” and mentioned that there are 20 joint appointments between SBU and BNL, as well as several joint institutes, including the Advanced Energy Center, the New York Center for Computational Sciences, the Joint Photon Sciences Institute, and the Center for Science and Technology.
Gibbs added that there is a new push to commercialize technologies discovered at BNL, and collaborations between SBU and BNL can help to move research “from discovery to deployment.”
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