Much to celebrate at the McLaughlin Research/Weissman Hood Institute

See coverage of this story on: https://www.krtv.com/news/great-falls-news/mclaughlin-research-institute-celebrates-70-years-by-announcing-new-name#google_vignette

On September 23rd, in Great Falls, MT, the McLaughlin Research Institute celebrated 70 years since its founding, a new affiliation with the Touro University System, and our pioneering Montana scientists:  Dr. Irving Weissman and Dr. Leroy Hood.  We will now be known as the Weissman Hood Institute at Touro University. 

The fact that the McLaughlin Research Institute celebrates its 70th anniversary is a great achievement and illustrates the power and persistence of science and scientists.  The Institute was founded in 1954 with the recruitment of a single physician scientists, Dr. Ernst Eichwald. Dr. Eichwald accepted the position in Montana on the condition that he could continue his transplantation research and what was called the Laboratory for Expermental Medicine was launched.  Dr. Irving Weissman was the first high school intern to join the laboratory two years later in 1956.  Over the last 70 years, there have been times of war and peace, of wealth and poverty, of social unrest and unity and through them all, our Institute has endured.  Scientists have shown up to probe new findings in transplantation, immunology, neurodegeneration, protein interactions and many others – day after day for 70 years.

Our longevity is an amazing accomplishment for a small institute in a relatively rural and isolated environment.  We are the closest biomedical research institute to more than 2/3 of the state of Montana.  In 2022, the importance of being in a rural setting in Montana was illustrated in a report from the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) which indicated that medical science today faces an unprecedented credibility crisis that threatens protection of people’s health (Boye, 2022). Further the AAMC recommends that scientists address diverse forces that fuel mistrust. We, and others at diverse Institutes and Centers across the United States, have suggested that trust in medical science requires that we are present – physically and intellectually rather than just virtually — in rural communities across the nation. We have been so for 70 years. 

Second, we celebrate joining the Touro University System.  With this partnership, the future of the McLaughlin Research Institute is much more secure, and our mission is expanded.  We now teach the next generation of medical students the basic sciences and research principles and innovation.  Today, medical students fill our hallways and our laboratories and are mentored by our faculty and scientists.  This is a symbol of the vision of Dr. Alan Kadish of Touro University in the central role of research not only in allopathic, but also osteopathic, medical schools. 

Third, and finally, we honor two Montana scientific pioneers:  Dr. Irving Weissman and Dr. Leroy Hood.  Each of them has individually changed the face of medical science for the better and together, they have generated innovations that are valued are >$75B while also focusing on improving our overall health and our health in the face of devastating diseases.  Dr. Weissman grew up in Great Falls and Dr. Hood grew up in Shelby.  They have traveled the world over, been in the most elite circles but they have never forgotten their roots.  We honor them now by recognizing their excellence with the hope of tapping into the potential of their legacy for the Institute for years to come. We are now the Weissman Hood Institute at Touro University.

In summary, as the CEO and Director of the newly branded Weissman Hood Institute at Touro University, I reflect.  I have been many places in my career:  I grew up in northern Wisconsin in a small town and I have a passion for rural spaces. I made my way ultimately to Stanford University and I have been heard to say “there are no paved roads from Iron River, WI, to Stanford University.”  As I have grown older, I have more recently reflected that there are also very few roads from Stanford University back to Iron River – but I was fortunate enough to find the road from Stanford to Great Falls when I received a call to act as the CEO/Director of the MRI and was able to witness this transformation.  I would urge us to remember our rural communities and honor them with our innovation, dedication and presence in the decades to come. 

Boyle P (2022) Widespread distrust in science: Is the way we communicate to blame? AAMC News

(July 14 issue) https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/widespread-distrust-science-way-we-communicateblame.