The cornerstone of the strategic plan is the Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS). BITS builds on Brown’s existing strengths in areas of societal importance, embraces the University’s culture of interdisciplinary collaboration, and harnesses the potential of clinical partnerships and the state of Rhode Island’s unique demography to accelerate discovery and application to human health.

BITS is composed of horizontally integrated research teams that will allow scientists and clinicians to work together along a common continuum. The integrating factor can be a disease, biologic pathway, investigative approach, or problem in society. In these teams basic scientists make lab- or data-based discoveries and then work with master clinicians and physician-scientists to evaluate the importance of their findings in well-characterized patient populations. Other investigators then look at the policy consequences of these findings, and focus on ways this knowledge can be used to generate companies and commercial products for patients.

Collaborative Research Teams

Since BITS was established in 2015, the following horizontally integrated research centers have been established:

• Brown Center for Biomedical Informatics
• Brown-Lifespan Center for Innovation in Digital Medicine
• Center on the Biology of Aging
• Center for Translational Neuroscience
• Legorreta Cancer Center

A Launchpad for Ideas

The endpoint on the continuum is the translation of discoveries into real, marketable therapies or diagnostic tools that help patients. Brown Biomedical Innovations to Impact helps bridge the gap between the lab bench and the commercialization of a product, helping investigators bring their discovery further in its development to where a startup could be launched or to attract an outside investor.

Funded through the generosity of donors, BBII makes annual awards to help accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into commercial products. Previously funded projects have included a tool for enabling better collaboration in minimally invasive surgery, new treatments for glioblastoma, a new drug for pulmonary fibrosis, and lab-grown tissues for post-heart attack cardiac repair.

One of the hallmarks of a research university and medical school is a robust MD/PhD program. Physician-scientists are uniquely positioned to take insights gleaned from their clinical work with patients into the lab, where they can pursue research directions that will have the greatest impact on human health.

With the generous support of The Warren Alpert Foundation, the Division established The Warren Alpert Physician-Scientist MD/PhD and Advanced Training Program. PhD candidates are able to choose from eight graduate programs within the Division of Biology and Medicine. Three candidates are selected every year from more than 250 applicants. 

Paxson’s Building on Distinction was formulated with the express intent to unite expertise from across the University and its professional schools in solving problems that plague our society. The horizontally integrated research teams within BITS will do the same, and provide opportunities to connect the Division with experts in the:

• Brown School of Public Health
• Brown School of Engineering
• Carney Institute for Brain Science
• Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs
• Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy
• Division of Applied Mathematics