Developing Research in MidSized Universities: Case Study at the Medical College of Georgia

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Developing Research in Mid-Sized Universities
Case Study at the Medical College of Georgia
Matthew Kluger, PhD, MBA Vice President for
Research Dean, School of Graduate Studies June
2003
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AssumptionThematically-based research has a
competitive advantage.Hypothesis One can
develop thematically-based research in an
academic environment (particularly at a mid-sized
university!)
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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen
R. Covey
1. Be Proactive 2. Begin with the End in Mind
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Goal To Make MCG a World-Class Health Sciences
Research University

• Outcome Measurements (by 2006)
• Programmatic Funding goes from 0 to 5
• NIH funding increases to 60,000,000 total
  extramuralfunding increases to 100,000,000
• NIH Funding increases 10 places (from 75th to
  65th 37 million in current funding would move
  us to this rank)
• NIH-funded physician principal investigators
  increased to 40
• Creation of General Clinical Research Center
  (GCRC)
• Faculty in honorary societies (NAS, IOM, FAAN,
  FAARC,
• FCCP, Howard Hughes Investigators)
• Endowment grows to 250,000,000
• Fellow in American Academy of Nursing Fellow
  of the Amer. Assoc. Respiratory Care Fellow of
  the College of Chest Physicians

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen
R. Covey
4. Think Win-Win 6. Synergize
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Biomedical Research Council (BMRC)

• Collection of university thought-leaders
• Think institutional, not departmental
• Assist in creation (and updating) of strategic
  plan for growing research at MCG

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Cardiovascular Diseases 8.2 million
Cancer 4.5 million
Neurological Diseases 13.6 million
Infection Inflammation 10.1 million
Research Themes
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Extramural Research Dollars
Projected at 20 increase/yr
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Why focus on Research?
Mission The mission of the Medical College of
Georgia is to improve health and reduce the
burden of illness in society by discovering,
disseminating, and applying knowledge of human
health and disease.
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(Biotech Industry, Support from NIH)
Research
Clinical Care
Growth Potential
Traditional Education
2000
Years
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Cultivating the Environment
A tree that grows beyond your reach Springs from
a tiny seed. A building more than nine stories
high Begins with a small mound of earth. A
journey of a thousand miles Begins with a single
step. (Tao Te Ching, 64)
From The Tao of Personal Leadership, Diane Dreher
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Step 1 is Creation of the Environment
Stewardship

• Stewardship is defined as to hold something in
  trust for
• another
• As defined by Peter Block, in his book
  Stewardship it is
• to preside over the orderly distribution of
  power

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StewardshipPeter Block

• People who leave their minds at home and bring
  their bodies to work will destroy us.
• When patriarchy asks its own organization to be
  more entrepreneurial and empowered, it is asking
  people to break the rules that patriarchy itself
  created and enforces.
• The notion that if you stand up you will get shot
  undermines partnership. Partnership does not
  always mean you will get what you want. It means
  that you may lose your argument, but you never
  lose your voice.

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What has happened at MCG to assist in creation of
proper stewardship?

• Early Retirement Program!
• Recruitment of forward-thinking and creative
  president (Dr. Daniel Rahn), new deans, vice
  presidents, and about half of all chairs
• Privatization of MCGs hospital
• Creation of Biomedical Research Council

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Step 2 in Creation of the EnvironmentUnderstand
ing the nature of a healthsciences university
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The Elitist Model for Research
Applied
Basic
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Pasteurs Quadrant Basic Science and
Technological Innovation Donald E. Stokes
Consideration of use?
Yes
No
Research is inspired by
Use-inspired basic research (Pasteur)
Pure basic Research (Bohr)
Yes
Quest for Fundamental understanding
Pure applied research (Edison)
No
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Revised Dynamic Model for Research
Improved understanding
Improved Technology
Purely applied research and development
Pure basic Research
Use-inspired basic research
Existing understanding
Existing Technology
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Step 3 is continued creation of the right
environment. See Good to Great by Jim Collins
The good-to-great leaders began the
transformation by first getting the right people
on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus) and
then figured out where to drive it!
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Hedgehog Concept
WHAT ARE YOU DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT
WHAT YOU CAN BE THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT
WHAT DRIVES YOUR ECONOMIC ENGINE
Three Circles of the Hedgehog Concept
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How can we create the proper environment?

• Leadership and Vision from senior leadership
  (President, Deans, VPs, Chairs, Section Chiefs,
  Directors)
• We all must become stewards and take ownership in
  success of MCG (e.g., Biomedical Research Council
  created, Cancer Coalition, Presidents Cabinet,
  Every Group at MCG)
• Proper rewards (e.g., research incentive
  programs continual encouragement from chairs,
  deans, and others)
• Sense of excitement (a growing organization is
  much more exciting than one at steady state or
  downsizing)
• Growth of regional biotech industry Georgia
  Medical Center Authority
• Growth of physical plant (Interdisciplinary
  Research Building Cancer Research Building
  Nursing Allied Health Sciences bldg

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Some Recent Changes at the Medical College of
Georgia Directly Related to Research Programs

• Creation of Office of Technology Transfer
  Economic
• Development Dr. Mike Gabridge, Associate VP
• Creation of International and Postdoctoral
  Services Office LD Newman, Director
• Creation of Office of Clinical and Investigative
  Services Dr. Tony Mulloy, Associate VP
• Recruitment of Assistant Dean for Graduate
  Student Recruitment Dr. Patricia Cameron
• Strengthening all aspects of research compliance
  (e.g., clinicalresearch, animal care, grants
  management, creation of course on responsible
  conduct of research)
• Creation of undergraduate research program
• Support for grantsmanship activities (e.g.,
  external reviews, grant
• Assistance
• Strengthening of core laboratories

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Keys to Success

• Right Environment/Leadership Stewardship
• Financial Support
• A. State of Georgia (Board of Regents, Georgia
  Research Alliance, Georgia Cancer Coalition)
• B. MCG (MCG Hospital, Indirect Dollars)C.
  Philanthropy (Capital Campaign)
• Get the right people on the busMany men want
  to be president, but few want to do president.
  (From The Contrarians Guide to Leadership
• By Steven Sample, President of Univ. Southern
  California)
• The Hedgehog concept!