RESEARCH The research effort at TCMC has been at the forefront since the school’s founding. The founding principles of the school enunciated in 2007 included “a research program that is focused on the healthcare issues of the region.” This was studied closely in a 2007 faculty retreat that outlined initial major directions. The importance of the research element was reflected in the early recruitment of the first chair of basic science, Gerald Litwack, PhD.
Dr. Sonia Planey at work in her lab.
There have been some redefinitions and prioritizations in this mission. The focus of the 2012 LCME database states the research program “will focus on community needs, support educational excellence, and provide research opportunities.” The above has been recently reviewed by Sonia Planey, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry and interim dean for research. She points out that as of 2014, we have thirteen faculty members with active biomedical research programs.
The faculty has generated over $13 million in grant support, producing over 260 scholarly reports in peer-reviewed science journals. The specific diseases or clinical situations being studied include colorectal, prostate, lung and bladder cancers, leukemia and lymphomas, and certain age-related diseases. Student research with the basic scientists has been encouraged. The charter Class of 2013 had 29 percent participation in research activities, and the second class had 34 percent participation. The designated research area of the building covers 26,766 square feet, with an operative 6,000 square-foot vivarium. The entire area has state-of-theart technology to allow the strengthening and accelerating of the researcher’s ability to translate basic science research findings into opportunities for novel therapeutic intervention, drug target discovery and characterization, as well as biomarker discovery and development of companion diagnostics. In Dean Scheinman’s State of the College paper, delivered September 30, 2014, he highlighted the four main goals facing TCMC and reinforced the tradition of developing the research mission.
Page | 20