MUSC Children's Hospital - DCRI celebrates its first year of existence

We're all about children!

DCRI celebrates its first year of existence

byHeather Woolwine
MUSC Public Relations
February 24, 2006

On Feb. 16, scientists, administrators, and those interested in the Darby Children’s Research Institute’s (DCRI) progress were treated to a multi-floor exhibition highlighting a year’s worth of work.

Since its opening last February, the DCRI’s throng of researchers and scientists completed an impressive amount of study related to the health and well-being of children.

The two-day celebration sought to remind those at MUSC that the DCRI was created to strengthen children’s research at MUSC and thus improve the lives of children and their families. By conducting high quality research, training physicians and scientists, and by fostering innovation through discovery and application, the DCRI family serves to bring innovative and groundbreaking research into the health care system of the 21st century.

The poster session on Feb. 16 on the second through sixth floors demonstrated the vast amount of research that has been completed and intensified during the last year, as well as providing an opportunity for the hard-working scientists, researchers, and clinicians to show their work.

“The National Institutes of Health is seeking a reorganization of clinical and translational research to accelerate the application of new basic science discoveries into clinical application,” said Bernie Maria, M.D., DCRI executive director. “The DCRI is ideally organized to enhance translational research that improves lives of children served in the Children’s Hospital. Dr. Scott Pomeroy joined us from Harvard University is a fine example of contributions made in children’s translational research.”

Pomeroy, M.D., Ph.D., Neuro-oncology director at the Children’s Hospital of Boston at Harvard Medical School and Neurology chairman, gave two lectures Feb. 16 entitled, “Using gene expression profiles to identify subtypes of CNS embryonal tumors” and “Genomics in Clinical Medicine.” His talk on Feb. 17 for pediatric grand rounds was entitled, “Developing molecular markers for risk stratification of medulloblastomas.”

Pomeroy holds two patents, received numerous honors and awards, and has penned or collaborated on more than 100 publications, reviews, and books. A sought-after speaker, he has appeared throughout the country in addition to many administrative and clinical appointments throughout his career. He maintains membership in several professional societies and participates in numerous community service activities and on several editorial boards.