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Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the Whitehead Institute have come together in a unique research collaboration to create the Broad Institute, a new type of biomedical research facility, which will be headed up by MIT and Whitehead Faculty Member Eric Lander.
Catalyzed by a founding gift from Los Angeles philanthropists Eli and Edythe L. Broad, the purpose of the institute is to fulfill the promise of the Human Genome Project (HGP) for medicine. Completed in April, the HGP is biology’s first program to create comprehensive information broadly applicable to a wide range of medical challenges. This 13-year international collaboration is the initial step in creating the foundations of genomic medicine, which seeks to transform medical practice through diagnosis and therapy at the cellular level.
BWH President Gary L. Gottlieb, MD, MBA recently represented Harvard Medical School and its affiliated hospitals during the announcement of the Broad Institute. “Harvard Medical School and its 17 affiliated teaching hospitals and research institutions are dedicated to providing innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health care issues. We are excited by the challenge provided to us through this remarkable new collaboration with our colleagues at MIT and the Whitehead Institute,” he said.
The Broad Institute will leverage the world-class strengths and geographic proximity of Harvard University, MIT and the Whitehead Institute, bringing together the collective expertise in molecular biology, genomics, chemistry and chemical biology, computational science, and engineering of the three founding institutions.
“Working together, through the generous support of the Broad family, I am confident that we will begin to solve the most enigmatic challenges of the scientific frontier,” added Gottlieb. “The Broad Institute will broaden our foundation of knowledge and then help us to translate the essence of this science into direct patient care. We consider it a privilege to be a part of this defining moment.”