Reminders of Our Mission in an Uncertain Time

Today, Harvard Medical School, and all of academic medicine, face extraordinary uncertainty. The freezing of billions of dollars in federal funding to Harvard threatens the HMS budget, but the proposed 40 percent cut to the NIH budget threatens the very foundation of biomedical science in the United States. The termination of grants that is occurring not just at Harvard but across the country will stifle innovation, crucial research, and the training of the next generation of scientists. These developments raise urgent questions about the future of discovery in the United States and the long-standing partnership between the federal government and academic institutions.

Amid this uncertainty, I am grateful to the members of the HMS community who share their stories in this issue. They remind us of the vast scientific progress that has been made, what is at stake, and what we know to be true.

We know that investing in talented scientists who can pursue their curiosity leads to breakthroughs that save lives. The distinguished careers of Arlene Sharpe, MD ’82 PhD ’81, and Gordon Freeman, PhD ’79, offer powerful examples. Their desire to understand the mechanisms of the immune system provided essential contributions to the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors. These therapies, made possible after decades of persistent inquiry, have transformed cancer treatment for many patients.

We know that similar breakthroughs await if investments in biomedical research continue. In the young field of cancer neuroscience, researchers such as William Hwang, MD ’15  PhD ’13, Humsa Venkatesh, and Richard Wong, MD ’94, are extending the boundaries of knowledge. The full impact of their efforts may not be known for years, but their discoveries are already upending old beliefs about how tumors interact with the nervous system and opening up new possibilities for targeted therapies.

We know that HMS alumni and faculty will continue to lead efforts to improve patient care. Work with cancer survivors by Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD ’15, exemplifies the dedication of our community to filling gaps in the health care system. As cancer therapies continue to improve, more and more people find themselves facing both the day-to-day challenges of living with cancer and the existential questions that battling cancer can raise. Yurkiewicz is helping to provide better answers to the question of how to help these patients thrive.

Likewise, we know that everyone deserves to benefit from medical advances. Fifteen years ago, there was essentially no cancer care available in Rwanda. But now the Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence treats thousands of patients each year, providing a remarkable example of efforts to ensure that improvements in cancer care reach all those in need, wherever they are.

There is no easy solution to the challenges we face, but I take heart in the strength of the HMS community. Now, as ever, we remain committed to our mission in service to humanity. Thank you for standing with us.
 

George Q. Daley, MD ’91, is the dean of Harvard Medical School.