From the President
One of the most exciting aspects of modern medicine is its resourcefulness – its ability to draw on, and learn from, progress in other fields of endeavor.
In this issue of Paths of Progress, you will find several articles about advances in cancer care and research that borrow from and expand on technological breakthroughs in outside areas. One example is the story on patient-safety initiatives at Dana-Farber. At virtually every point in a patient's treatment at the Institute, computer and bar-coding technologies – originally developed for fields far removed from medicine – are being harnessed to reduce the chances of human error.
Another example is the article on proteomics, a fast-emerging field that focuses on the totality of proteins in cells, and their interactions with one another, as key factors in the cancer process. The workhorses of proteomics, known as mass spectrometers, were initially used by chemists to identify the elemental composition of various compounds.
In these stories and others – on DFCI's Cancer Risk and Prevention Program, neuroblastoma research, and laboratory operations – it's clear that cancer science and care are far from self-contained enterprises, but depend on the skills and expertise of a wide array of people. It is precisely this spirit of collaboration that we have sought to encourage with the Institute's Strategic Plan, which sets a blueprint for Dana-Farber's work in the coming years. I hope you enjoy reading about our efforts
Edward J. Benz Jr., MD
President, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
