February 18, 2000

For two days early this month, members of the MGH community discussed, analyzed and celebrated the many facets of the hospital's research goals and accomplishments. The annual meeting of the MGH Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) — a group of distinguished scientists who advise hospital leadership on its research mission — included a presentation of more than 80 scientific posters, talks on promising avenues of research and an intensive review – along with sometimes-candid discussion – of major programs and projects.

Special areas of focus at this year's meeting included CIMIT (Center for Innovative Minimally Invasive Therapy), the Clinical Research Program and the opportunities offered by genomics — the application of information from the Human Genome Project to the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

"This year's meeting was outstanding," says Dennis Ausiello, MD, MGH physician-in-chief, who moderated the meeting in his role as chairman of the Executive Committee on Research. "Our current Scientific Advisory Committee has a particular expertise in genetics, one of our major areas of interest. Their advice, as always, will be critical to our progress in this important area."