Baylor Research Institute: 2003 Update

Abstract

The research being conducted through Baylor Research Institute (BRI) is one of Dallas' best-kept secrets. Few people know that physicians and scientists in Baylor Health Care System have almost 500 active protocols. The focus is to move advances from the bench to the bedside, with programs in basic science, mechanisms of disease, clinical effectiveness, clinical efficacy, and health care quality improvement. The 2 basic science programs are in immunology-which relates to the clinical areas of cancer, infectious diseases, allergy, transplantation, and autoimmune diseases-and metabolic disease, which relates to the diagnosis and treatment of inherited errors of metabolism. Other major clinical research concentrations include asthma, gastroenterology, diabetes, cardio-vascular disease, orthopaedics, and dermatology. BRI exists to improve the medical care and well-being of our community-nationally and internationally-through innovative, clinically relevant research that is consistent with the mission, vision, and values of Baylor Health Care System. The institute provides administrative support to investigators in areas such as education, finances, and quality assurance and en-sures compliance with federal and state regulations. It has divisions devoted to research quality and safety, sponsored research, research subject protection, clinical trials, financial management, and the BioScience Center (Figure ​(Figure11). In this article, I review BRI's activities in 2002 and outline goals for 2003. Figure 1 Current organizational structure of Baylor Research Institute.