New discoveries, and treatments of the future driving medicine forward, were the focus of the Hackensack Meridian Health Research Institute (HMHRI)’s fifth annual Research Symposium on May 28.
The Symposium united a diverse pool of medical researchers under the HMH umbrella for a day of inspiration, collaboration, and discovery. This year’s theme, “Emerging Technologies: Paving the Way for Novel Therapies,” explored the pioneering approaches that are transforming patient outcomes.
Researchers, clinicians, and students shared groundbreaking studies that foster the collaborative spirit central to the New Jersey network’s mission to “keep getting better.” The event was held at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in Nutley, N.J., with more than 300 in-person and virtual attendees.
The day commenced with welcome remarks from Hackensack Meridian Health Chief Executive Officer Robert C. Garrett and Ihor S. Sawczuk, M.D., FACS, President of Academics, Research & Innovation.
HMH Chief Digital Information Officer Joel Klein, M.D., served as moderator. He set the tone with a call to leverage emerging technology with good decision-making, picking strategically aligned tools that can be implemented now with potential for future expansion.
The agenda was packed wire-to-wire with compelling sessions that highlighted the intersection of technology and medicine.
Esteemed speakers presented on a range of topics, including: "The Emerging Technology of Stereotactic Radiosurgery," a look at precise brain surgery methods not requiring a knife; objective measures to improve the future of robotic surgery, particularly prostatectomy; and "Enhancing Patient Care Through Virtual Nursing.”
Further sessions from experts from the Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) delved into new frontiers of treating axial spondyloarthritis, the multiple federally-funded drug accelerators for infectious disease, and the development of patient-derived brain tumor models pointing the way toward precision therapies and functional studies.
The symposium also proudly featured award-winning presentations from students, graduates, residents, and fellows from previous symposia hosted by the CDI (Austin Terlecky and Andy Madrid, Ph.D.), HMSOM (M3 Natalie Elmasri), and HMHRI (Christina Gulla, D.O.) this year.
The customary awardee presentations celebrate the exceptional work of rising research specialists, fellows, and trainees across the HMH network.
More than a series of presentations, the HMHRI Symposium was a chance to connect with leaders and peers, spark new ideas, and be part of the movement that is translating today’s scientific discoveries into tomorrow’s clinical impact.
The symposium successfully showcased how Hackensack Meridian Health is paving the way for novel therapies, reinforcing the network's commitment to innovation and excellence in patient care.