I am writing to announce a major new HMS initiative in the field of Immunology. Harvard faculty have made historic contributions to this field, which addresses the normal biology of immune and inflammatory systems, host defense, altered states of immunity in disease, and potential therapies for many of our most intractable diseases. Indeed, immunological science encompasses the full spectrum of research from basic science through translation to clinical investigation. Harvard’s diverse and accomplished Immunology community is world-class by any standard.
After many discussions with leaders in the field both inside and outside of Harvard, I have concluded that our community’s impressive stature and influence can be even further strengthened. To achieve this, we must augment interactions and collaboration among investigators with the ultimate goal of preventing and treating human illness. This new effort—Harvard Immunology—will embody many of the goals discussed in our strategic plan for HMS.
A core goal of Harvard Immunology will be to bring together three entities—one longstanding and two newly formed—in the field of Immunology at Harvard for the purpose of discussion and planning.
The first group is the highly accomplished Harvard Committee on Immunology, which is composed of approximately 100 Harvard faculty members who have laid the foundation for this exciting initiative. With support from HMS, the committee oversees Harvard’s Immunology graduate program, weekly seminars and retreats.
The second entity is the newly formed Division of Immunology, an integral part of the soon to be renamed Quad Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, chaired by John Mekalanos. The division will nurture and develop a community of HMS Quad-based immunologists.
The third entity is the new Harvard Institute of Translational Immunology (HITI), which will convene multidisciplinary basic, translational and clinical investigators from Harvard and our affiliated academic health care centers to study immune-mediated diseases. HITI’s goal will be to better understand their pathogenesis, formulate immune-based assays to support human clinical trials and improve diagnostic approaches, develop novel therapies, and train the next generation of translational and clinical immunologists. In future communications, I will share specifics about HITI, which is poised to launch a pilot grant program, funded by the Helmsley Trust, in type 1 diabetes and Crohn’s disease. I am proud to announce that Arlene Sharpe and Larry Turka will be the first coleaders of HITI.
Under the auspices of Harvard Immunology, these three entities will broaden the community of basic, translational and clinical immunologists. They will improve communication, bring together individuals to attack specific problems, identify new resources to support collaborative investigation, improve and share critical tools and technologies, and, importantly, contribute to the education of undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students.
To ensure the success of Harvard Immunology, I have asked Bill Chin, executive dean for Research, and Lee Nadler, dean for Clinical and Translational Research, to convene a small group of immunologists who span the spectrum of Immunology from basic to clinical investigation. These individuals will help me define strategic goals for Harvard Immunology, set initial deliverables and define metrics of success. Members of this group will include Michael Brenner, chair of the Executive Committee of the Committee on Immunology; Diane Mathis, who will be the first head of the new HMS Division of Immunology within the Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology; and Arlene Sharpe and Larry Turka, the coleaders of HITI. Two “at large” immunologists will bring additional expertise to the group.
I am confident that this dynamic group of individuals will tap into the powerful intellectual resources of our HMS Immunology community and create important synergies. These will both enhance our understanding of fundamental immunologic mechanisms and help us translate basic science discoveries into clinical therapies, spurring progress in our mission to ease human suffering and eradicate disease.
Jeffrey S. Flier is Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
