We sat down with Roberta Herman, MD, President of Joslin Diabetes Center, to discuss the future of the institution, its move to new spaces at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and the Center for Life Sciences, and the exciting developments that come along with this transformational next chapter for Joslin. Supported in part by philanthropy, the “Joslin…On the Move!” effort will have many positive impacts on patients and staff, setting the stage for Joslin’s continued evolution as a global leader in the field of diabetes.
Can you speak to the opportunities for collaboration and growth, along with other benefits, that Joslin’s new space will offer?
There is great excitement about the fact that our new location will provide opportunities for collaboration on a variety of fronts. In terms of research, Joslin is best known for its focus on the basic science of diabetes, while BIDMC is known for its focus on metabolism. These two research profiles are perfectly complementary. The proximity of our institutions creates a research powerhouse on the topics of diabetes and metabolism, benefiting not only Joslin and BIDMC, but the entire Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH) system and beyond.
In our new location, our outpatient clinics—combined with BIDMC’s inpatient and specialty services—will provide the full complement of clinical expertise required to manage the entire spectrum of diabetes, further enhancing the comprehensive care Joslin offers. We treat people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes and associated complications, offering inpatient and outpatient care across all stages of life, such as during pregnancy and in advanced age. We also continue to enhance our culturally competent care. Ultimately, the new space will better allow Joslin to leverage the fantastic diabetes care we will provide across all the hospitals in the BILH system, aligning well with BILH’s overall mission to offer excellent care, close to home. We want to ensure that no matter which BILH hospital you walk in to, you get the same high standard of care that Joslin offers.
What does this move mean for you personally? What are you most excited for?
Research will be the first to relocate and is heading to the Center for Life Sciences. The anticipated open concept design and natural flow of the place will be so refreshing—it’s going to create an amazing buzz. Harvard Medical School is right across the street, and the building contains some noteworthy residents already, including our colleagues at BIDMC and researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
This cohabitation is meaningful for so many reasons—including the fact that it may enable brilliant scientific breakthroughs at intersections across disciplines. There’s no better place for Joslin to be when it comes to accelerating our research enterprise and extending our impact within the community.
How about the clinical side? How will the move impact the patient experience at Joslin?
Joslin’s clinics are going to be moving into the first and second floors of the Carl J. Shapiro Clinical Center on BIDMC’s East Campus. The adult and pediatric clinics will be just off the Shapiro lobby on the first floor, and the Beetham Eye Institute will be located on the second floor. These two floors will be completely refitted for our specific purposes, which is going to be transformative for patients, physicians, and our employees. The clinics will also be in close proximity to amenities, including a café and the BILH Pharmacy. Our new setting will allow us to further elevate the excellent care that our patients have come to expect from Joslin in a fresh, modern space that will also connect them to other programs at BIDMC. Thus, our patients will have access to a wide range of services in one convenient location in Longwood.
What is the impact of philanthropy at a time like this for Joslin?
Joslin has been blessed with a deeply committed community. In the end, it’s these folks with an important, common interest and an unwavering dedication to our institution and its mission who make the work we do possible. Above all, they enable us to recruit and retain leading-edge academic talent and accelerate scientific breakthroughs. Philanthropy is absolutely essential to sustaining Joslin’s mission and brand, and we are thankful for all those who continue to bolster our efforts in diabetes research, teaching, and clinical care.
Is there anything else you would like our donors to know?
Joslin’s partnership with BILH enables us to extend our reach in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes research and care. Being part of BILH provides us with the opportunity to expand our clinical impact by offering both direct intervention for people with diabetes and by influencing the care of individuals at hospitals across the system. This next era for Joslin is going to be a vibrant one, and we are going to be freshly energized in our new spaces. No matter what changes about our physical spaces, the one thing that will remain constant is our dedication to our mission to improve the lives of people with diabetes. Our team here is relentless. That will never, ever change.
Roberta Herman, MD, President of Joslin Diabetes Center