Dean Robert R. Frank hosted a discussion on research on Monday, prompting several thoughtful questions and providing a thorough update of various activities.

Topics covered included research facilities, efforts to improve research administration and ways of providing incentives to recruit and retain quality researchers.

"Research is a very important part of what we do in the medical school," said Dean Frank in opening the talk, "even to those who are mainly clinicians and even to those who are mainly teachers."

The third floor of Scott Hall will be renovated, starting with the demolition process in May. July is the targeted date for completion. The plans call for a new classroom as well as a revamped floor plan overall. Dean Frank acknowledged that the process may be difficult for some, but that it would be worth it.

School of Medicine leadership is also meeting with the WSU Office of the Vice President for Research to begin discussions about the possibility of a new, state-of-the art laboratory research facility. Such a building would cost approximately $100 million, which Dean Frank said would be a challenge, but a challenge that could be met.

Switching to the topics, Dean Frank reported the findings of a committee established by the School of Medicine to suggest ways to improve research administration. As a result of the committee's work, the following steps have been taken:

• Wayne State University has committed to modifying the Banner system to forecast salary encumbrances.
• An ad hoc committee has been established to pursue financial incentives for productive researchers with a target of having such incentives in place by October 2005.
• The School of Medicine will serve as a beta test site for a reorganized research administration office. Details of the reorganization will be announced within 60 days.
• Having a strong research emphasis was a criterion included in the WSU School of Medicine dean search position specification.

Dean Frank also announced several new leadership appointments including Dr. Dan Walz as associate dean for research and Dr. Larry Grossman as director of the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics. Interviews are underway for an assistant dean for clinical research.

Dean Frank also recognized the research accomplishments of several departments that recently moved up in NIH rankings and also the work of a few individual researchers. Among those honored were Dr. Eric Ayers, a WSU assistant professor of medicine who was nominated for the Association of American Medical College's Humanism in Medicine award, and Dr. Linda Hazlett, WSU chair of anatomy and cell biology who recently entered her 26th year of funding on her study, "Alteration with Age of Resistance of Eye Infections."

The discussion was followed by a 45-minute question-and-answer session that prompted discussion on several topics, including ways to recruit promising young faculty members as well as the possibility of revamping tenure guidelines.