BIDMC Launches Plan to InSPIRE Next Generation of Discovery

InSPIRE strategic plan bolsters bench-to-bedside innovation and collaboration

BOSTON– Building on its long history of driving discovery, supporting innovation and translating scientific data to improve patient care and outcomes, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) is embarking on a five-year Institutional Strategic Plan for Innovation, Research & Education (InSPIRE) to reimagine and support a modern, vital research enterprise.

Under the leadership of Gyongyi Szabo, MD, PhD, Chief Academic Officer of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, InSPIRE prioritizes expanding researchers' access to leading-edge technologies that can drive rigorous, state-of-the-art science and harnessing the power of clinical data to improve patient outcomes. The plan also emphasizes investing in and supporting a diverse, inclusive, interdepartmental community that empowers faculty to maximize their academic career potential and facilitates mentorship.

"Outstanding research is the backbone of extraordinary patient care," said Szabo, who is also Chief Academic Officer of the Beth Israel Lahey Health system and an internationally recognized leader in the field of liver immunology. "The InSPIRE plan will guide us in achieving our vision of building a vital research infrastructure that will empower breakthroughs in translational research and personalized medicine."

Based on themes that grew out of extensive internal and external analysis, the InSPIRE plan sets the course for expanding laboratory space, providing access to core facilities and data sets, and building research hubs that bring together expertise from related, if unexpected, disciplines. The plan also prioritizes enhanced career development for faculty and trainees, and streamlined opportunities for funding via grant support, philanthropy or relationships with industry.

Each of InSPIRE's strategic priorities and goals rests upon three common pillars: a commitment to continue increasing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at BIDMC; bringing together investigators with complimentary research interests; and improving communication regarding our research success.

"As one of the nation's top ten NIH-funded academic medical centers, BIDMC attracts the top minds in research and trains the next generation of leaders in the medical sciences," said Peter J. Healy, President of BIDMC. "Our InSPIRE strategic plan provides a strong foundation for translating innovations and scientific discoveries into clinical practice, thereby improving clinical outcomes and enhancing our ability to provide extraordinary care."