Research Initiatives

HIRM Research Initiatives

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The HIRM endeavors to:

Accelerate discoveries by increasing cross-disciplinary collaboration in RNA science and providing a common home for RNA science at BIDMC/Harvard.

Capitalize on and expand Harvard’s collective expertise in RNA biology and maintain leadership in this rapidly developing field.

Foster a culture of intellectual exchange with the RNA biotechnology companies in Boston and beyond.

Build common core facilities for cutting edge RNA-centric technologies, such as bioinformatics, genetics and biosynthesis, clinical trials.

Four synergistic programs at the Cancer Center are critical to its plan of accelerating the development of new cancer diagnostics and therapies:

• Human Imaging and Small Animal Imaging Facility (SAIF);
• Tumor Bank (robust samples of cancers with associated retrospective patient data);
• Phase I/II trials possible with prospective patient data acquisition;
• Institute for Co-Clinical Animal Pharmacogenomics (ICAP)—purpose is to lower the barrier for testing clinical compounds in animal models that replicate genetic events in human disease.