By Barbra Alan

Dr. Stephen Spielberg, the dean of Dartmouth Medical School, joined Joseph Helble, the dean of Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering, and Jouko Karvinen, the president and CEO of Philips Medical Systems, at a reception at DHMC on December 19.Together with faculty and friends of the institution, they were celebrating a $5-million multiyear collaborative research agreement in biomedical imaging.The agreement brings together researchers from DMS,Thayer, and Philips to develop innovative imaging capabilities aimed at earlier detection and treatment of heart disease, cancer, and neurological diseases.

The agreement will accelerate research in areas where Dartmouth College as well as its schools of medicine and engineering are already breaking new ground.Among the projects under way are the use of advanced cardiovascular imaging to identify molecular changes that may signal malignant tumor growth at earlier stages; the creation of alternative methods of breast cancer imaging to increase the accuracy of detection and treatment and to reduce patient discomfort; and the development of technologies aimed at improving our understanding of the basic processes that lead to neurological disease.

"Without industry partners, translation of discovery and new knowledge cannot happen in real time," Dean Spielberg stated at the reception."Improving diagnosis and treatment options for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurological conditions represents one of the biggest challenges of medicine. The role of medical imaging in these areas has grown exponentially in recent years, with groundbreaking work taking place in imaging the brain, the heart, and other organs.

"Working with our colleagues from the Thayer School and Philips," Spielberg continued," Dartmouth sees the opportunity to combine the intellectual strengths of academia with industry as a key to further unlock advances in medical imaging.We look forward to developing a long and productive relationship with Philips in hopes of continually improving patient care not just in northern New England, but throughout the nation."

Photo by: Mark Washburn

Saluting a new industry-academe collaboration are, from the left, Jouko Karvinen, president and CEO of Philips Medical Systems; Stephen Spielberg, dean of DMS; and Joseph Helble, dean of Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering.

"The Friends of CHaD has really positioned CHaD to grow in ways that would not have been possible without their support," says Sharon Brown, the director of community relations for CHaD.

Raising the bar
The financial goal of the Transforming Medicine Campaign for Dartmouth Medical School and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is to raise $250 million by 2009. Even more far-reaching is its goal of "raising the bar" in medicine. Of questioning assumptions—respecting tradition but not following it blindly. Of erasing boundaries—translating science from the lab bench to the bedside by connecting researchers with clinicians. Of creating solutions to the nation's most critical health-care issues. Of transforming medicine.

Children's health
Improving the health and health care of the region's children is a top priority of the Transforming Medicine Campaign. Within the Campaign is a $20-million goal for the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth, to advance pediatric education, to fund new research initiatives in pediatrics, to enrich family-centered programs grounded in teaching and research, and to enhance facilities.

As of February, the Transforming Medicine Campaign had raised over $116 million in cash gifts and pledges, including these generous gifts to CHaD:

 • $300,000 from Jane and Bill Stetson and the Arthur K.Watson Charitable Trust in support of the William E. Boyle, M.D., Community Pediatrics Program.

 • Over $130,000 from Paul and Yvonne Hendricks and the Hendricks/Felton Foundation for the CHaD Family Center.

Learning more
For more about the Transforming Medicine Campaign, visit http://transmed.dartmouth.edu