To welcome their new dean, Dr. David A. Kessler, the faculty members of the School of Medicine will host a scientific symposium, titled "Advancing the Public's Health through Research," on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 1:15-5:15 p.m. in the Mary S. Harkness Auditorium, Sterling Hall of Medicine, 333 Cedar St. A reception will follow in the Medical Historical Library. The Yale community is invited.
Before assuming the deanship of the School of Medicine on July 1, Dr. Kessler was commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "The faculty of the School of Medicine can think of no more appropriate way to welcome David Kessler than to present this symposium that celebrates scientific contributions of some of our young faculty and the potential to translate discoveries made in the laboratory for the public good," says Dr. Joseph B. Warshaw, deputy dean for clinical affairs and chair of the department of pediatrics. He is cochairing the event with Carolyn W. Slayman, deputy dean for academic and scientific affairs and Sterling Professor of Genetics, Cellular and Molecular Physiology; and Dr. Lawrence S. Cohen, special adviser to the dean and the Ebenezer Hunt Professor of Internal Medicine.
Four medical school faculty members will describe their research projects during the first part of the symposium, which will be moderated by Dr. Richard P. Lifton. The faculty and their topics will include: Dr. Marie E. Egan, "The Role of CFTR in Cystic Fibrosis"; Dr. Erol Fikrig, "Lyme Disease Vaccines: Benchtop to Backyard"; Dr. David B. Simon, "Genetic Studies of High- and Low-Blood Pressure: New Insights into Pathophysiology, Diagnostics and Therapeutics"; and Professor Tian Xu, "Tumor Suppressors and Development."
In the symposium's second part, leaders from five major pharmaceutical companies that have operations in Connecticut will participate in a roundtable discussion on how academia and industry can work together to advance the health of the public. Gregory E. Gardiner, director of Yale's expanded Office of Cooperative Research, will moderate the panel. Participants will include: Michael J. Berendt, senior vice president for pharmaceutical research, Bayer Corp., in West Haven; George M. Milne Jr., president of Pfizer Central Research Division in Groton; Peter Mueller, senior vice president for research and development, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Inc., in Ridgefield; and Dr. Mark C. Rogers, senior vice president for corporate development and technology, Perkin-Elmer Corp. in Wilton. Also participating in the panel will be Peter S. Ringrose, president of the Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. in Princeton, New Jersey.