Over the past century, biomedical research has transformed healthcare, in the United States and around the world. Within living memory, heart disease and stroke were fatal for most, with few treatments available to alleviate permanent disabilities among survivors. A diagnosis of cancer was typically viewed as a death sentence.  Neurological diseases were largely a black box, with the basis of neural development and neural degeneration both poorly understood and largely untreatable.

We are very fortunate to live in a time in which laboratory studies have led to great clinical advances.  Through innovative, fundamental research into the root causes of disease, followed by practice-changing clinical trials, we are now able to treat many forms of previously deadly conditions. This has greatly prolonged life or cured many, and has improved quality of life for survivors. However, there is much more to do, with many serious disorders remaining poorly understood and lacking effective therapy.

The mission of all researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM) is to improve human health through investigations that inform the understanding and improve the treatment of disease. In the Basic Science Departments and Centers, the focus is on identifying the changes that distinguish healthy from unhealthy cells and tissues, and testing strategies to reverse pathological changes. Topics of study span many serious human diseases affecting the heart, vascular system, brain and peripheral nerves, and the lung, as well as multi-system pathologies associated with cancer. Branching into psychology, LKSOM basic researchers also investigate the root causes of learning defects, post-traumatic stress disorder, and addictive behavior, with the goal of reversing these conditions. These investigations are supported by robust research facilities with state-of-the-art instrumentation, and collaborations spanning the medical school, as well as Temple University and its Health System.

In the 20 Clinical Departments, LKSOM researchers perform patient-based research that extends and complements the work of laboratory scientists.  With nearly 200 clinical trials in progress, many LKSOM clinician-researchers assess new drugs, strategies, and devices intended to improve patient survival and contribute to rapid recovery.  Others focus on identification of clinical biomarkers that will allow the better matching of individual patients to specific treatment options, supporting precision medicine. A priority among LKSOM clinical researchers is dissemination of health care advances to the community, sharing practices and strategies to prevent onset of disease, or to reduce the burden of suffering in those afflicted.

For medical and graduate students, clinical and postdoctoral fellows, training in research is integral to our mission.  I welcome you to explore our research, and encourage you to consider training at the medical school.

Erica Golemis, PhD
Senior Associate Dean of Research