On September 23rd, 2024, the McLaughlin Research Institute will be celebrating its’ 70th anniversary with an Open House from 12-4PM. Please feel free to visit at 1520 23rd St S; all events are free of charge. Lunch will be served from 12-1PM with the programs beginning at 12:30 with a welcome by Dr. Renee Reijo Pera followed by talks by leading scientists including:
Dr. Irving Weissman, Stanford University, Immunology and Cancer
Dr. Leroy Hood, CEO, Phenome Health, Health and Wellness
Dr. Kapil Bharti, National Eye Institute, Macular Degeneration
Dr. Amy Wisniewski, Eastern Oregon University, Neuropsychology
Dr. Frank Bennett, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Orphan Diseases
Dr. Miranda Orr, Wake Forest University, Alzheimer’s Disease
Dr. Suzanne Phelan, California Polytechnic State University, Gestational Diabetes
Dr. Brent Race, NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Chronic Wasting Disease
Dr. Jeff Kinney, University of Nevada – Las Vegas, Alzheimer’s Disease
The MRI was launched in 1954 with the recruitment of a physician scientist, Dr. Ernst Eichwald, to Montana Deaconess Hospital, the forerunner of Benefis Health. Dr. Eichwald was recruited with financial resources to continue his pioneering research on tissue transplantation and organ rejection. He built the McLaughlin Research Institute on these resources and was founder and editor of the journal, Transplantation Bulletin, and its successor Transplantation for more than 30 years, the top journals of transplantation science internationally. He was also the scientific mentor to the first high school intern at the Institute, Irving Weissman, who is now a professor in Immunology and Cancer Research at Stanford University. Over its 68-year history, 5 directors/presidents have led the MRI: Following Ernst Eichwald, Jack Stimpfling solidified the expertise in mouse models, George Carlson focused on prion diseases (such as mad-cow disease) and neurodegeneration, Michael Kavanaugh expanded the translational genetics and electrophysiological investigations, and Renee Reijo Pera, the current director, is focused on expanding to rural health applications. The mission of the Institute has a central focus on providing scientific research opportunities, especially through high school and college internships and employment in scientific research to those in the greater Great Falls area. The quality of the science has been demonstrated in more than 650 publications that have been written by Institute scientists.
The Institute is a special place for research and education. Through its summer internship
programs, the Institute has launched the careers of many prominent scientists and physicians who grew up in Great Falls, Shelby, Saco and Power, Montana, among other communities. Please join us as we celebrate 70 years of success and our future together. The celebration that will begin at 12:00PM (Noon), September 23rd, at the McLaughlin Research Institute with presentations as outlined above. In addition, there will be scientific posters, memory screening and just time to visit with each other and the Institute scientists.
Author: Staff
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