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What makes GIM research stand out?
Research is integrated across the section: all faculty, not just full clinician investigators, engage in innovative research topics of interest.
Areas of research excellence in GIM include clinical addiction science, health systems science, medical education, chronic disease management, sexual and gender minority health, chronic musculoskeletal diseases, and refugee health. Some of our major research projects have included:
- The landmark MassHEAL project evaluating interventions to reduce opioid overdose deaths recently published results in the New England Journal of Medicine.
- Boston HEALHS (Health Equity & community-Aligned Learning Health System), funded by AHRQ and PCORI, is creating learning health system training and infrastructure across Boston Medical Center.
- To check out other GIM research projects, you can visit the list of BMC’s current National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards.
Substance use disorder is GIM’s strongest research domain, and it continues to grow with projects on stimulant use disorder, SUD in adolescent populations, novel work in target trial emulation, and many other areas. The Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit comprises clinical, research, and administrative members who work in clinical programs and grant-funded research and training programs in the field of addiction medicine. The CARE Unit hosts numerous research projects seeking to understand the complexities of substance use, addiction risks, and co-morbidities for patients and communities. Investigators are actively exploring innovative interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with substance use.
GIM Resources Supporting Research
Data & Methods Core
The
Data and Methods Core (DMC) is dedicated to enhancing clinical and translational research by providing methodological expertise and analytical services throughout the research project lifecycle, ensuring robust support for investigators. We do this by providing expert consultation and grant planning support, data management, and statistical analysis. DMC services are accessible to all research staff at BUMC, including BMC and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Special emphasis is placed on supporting early-to-mid career clinical investigators, fostering their development and success in research.
Community Supporting Research
We have several resources and support services connecting investigators to local communities, facilitating community-engaged research. For example, the Grayken Center for Addiction offers addiction researchers consultation on how to make their research more relevant for Black people and more inclusive of Black participants. Consultations are provided by a
“Lived Experience Advisory Panel” (LEAP), composed of Black people who have lived experience of problematic substance use.
Research in Progress Series
GIM hosts a well-attended bi-monthly Research in Progress seminar series that offers engaging presentations on diverse and innovative research projects across the Section.
Scientific Writing Resources
We have gathered external and internal resources to support the scientific writing needs of investigators and faculty at all stages of their careers. We recommend checking out the resources marked with the blue diamond symbol if you are new to academic writing. You can view this resource guide here:
Scientific Writing Resources.