The Sciences
Ushering Medicine from Bench to Bedside
Today’s rapid advances in biomedical science hold particular promise for Yale’s School of Medicine and the community it serves. Equipped with a genome map, powerful imaging tools, and the ability to observe proteins at work in the cell, researchers are uncovering the fundamental causes of human illness, from cancer to Parkinson’s to heart disease. These insights open new pathways for prevention and treatment, and the School is aggressively building its capacity for translational research. Yale Tomorrow is central to this mission, funding initiatives to further raise the quality and impact of basic research, clinical care, and education programs.
Building Yale’s capacity for translational research
Neurologist Stephen Strittmatter studies the mechanisms by which nerves grow or fail to grow, in hopes that, one day, physicians will be able to make nerves repair themselves. “We’re asking how neurons function at the cellular level,” says Strittmatter, “so we can understand diseases of the brain and spinal cord. Combining these questions in one lab—what happens in the cell and what happens in the body when disease strikes—is a new direction for medical research.”
Strittmatter and Pietro DeCamilli, a veteran researcher in cell biology, co-direct an integrated program in Cellular Neuroscience, Degeneration, and Repair. Together they are hiring seven new faculty members, with appointments in various academic departments, to explore how the basic workings of the cell relate to disease and its potential treatment.
“Our hope,” says Strittmatter, “is that this core group can reach out to all kinds of people—neuroscientists, biomedical engineers, and clinicians—to form a nexus for neurodegenerative diseases and neurological repair. We would like to involve a much bigger community at Yale.”
Another pioneer in translational research is cell biologist Haifan Lin. Director of Yale’s new Stem Cell Center, Lin works to unlock the mysteries of stem cell behavior. “The stem cell,” he says, “is the mother of all cells. It harbors tremendous potential for curing cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and spinal cord injury.”
Today the delicate balancing act in which stem cells can both self-renew and develop into many different cell types is only partly understood. Lin is optimistic that rigorous proof-of-principle studies will illuminate these mechanisms, and one day lead to medical treatments. “Just imagine,” he says, “if we were able to grow tissues to replace damaged heart muscle or brain tissues.”
With pathologist Diane Krause, Lin is recruiting five faculty members to conduct basic stem cell research and to investigate applications. The center is expected to attract a broad circle of affiliates on the medical campus and Science Hill, supporting progress in tissue regeneration, organ repair, cancer therapy, and the treatment of aging-related diseases.
The School of Medicine is applying this translational paradigm to other areas of emerging science. For example, the program in Human Translational Immunology is hiring six faculty members for basic study of immunological mechanisms and how they may lead to treatments for asthma, autoimmune diseases, and organ rejection. Likewise, Yale’s Program in Functional Genomics, established jointly with Fudan University in China, uses a novel approach developed by Yale geneticist Tian Xu to define the function of individual genes and how they may be used for therapy. In each of these programs, scientists apply insights from basic research to the development of treatments that can be used in a clinical setting.
Hastening the transfer of knowledge from laboratory to clinic
The newly formed Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI) is hastening this transfer of knowledge from bench to bedside. Under the direction of Robert Sherwin, an endocrinologist and diabetes specialist, YCCI unites the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health and Yale College in an initiative to improve patient care and develop the next generation of clinical scientists.
“We aim to build a stronger infrastructure for clinical research,” says Sherwin. “Scientists and physicians need support for training and career development, access to technology, and assistance with negotiating today’s regulatory environment. We also help them make the most of their research by assisting in areas such as study design, statistical analysis, informatics, or ethics.” Yale believes ycci will spark the formation of clinical centers of excellence on its campus, giving patients access to the world’s best physicians and the latest in medical advances.
New facilities for basic and clinical research
The Medical School’s growing faculty and expanded programs require significant new research space, including labs outfitted with the latest equipment. To meet this need, the University is building two new facilities for basic and clinical research.
The first, a basic science research center already under construction on Amistad Street, will house programs in vascular biology, transplantation, stem cell biology, and human immunology. The second facility, now in the planning phase, will provide office and laboratory space for investigators in cancer biology, cell biology and cellular imaging, genetics and genomics, immunology, drug development, and clinical trials.
A world-class cancer hospital
Construction is also under way for Yale’s new cancer hospital, a clinical-care and research facility that will operate under the auspices of Yale Cancer Center and Yale–New Haven Hospital. The cancer hospital will integrate inpatient and outpatient units with advanced clinical trials, stem cell transplantation, radiotherapy, diagnostic imaging, molecular diagnostics, and facilities for laboratory medicine. Completion of the building will enable Yale Cancer Center to provide an ideal setting for patient-centered, multidisciplinary care.
Core investments in scientific research are transforming the School of Medicine and the contributions it can make to human health and welfare. Further initiatives supported by the campaign—the endowment of faculty positions, the expansion of financial aid, and the funding of teaching programs—will advance the School’s science mission and prepare a new generation of medical doctors and researchers. Donor support keeps Yale on the forefront of medical science, educates tomorrow’s leaders, and speeds the advent of medical advances that benefit everyone.
