At Johns Hopkins Medicine, we are always looking forward: pushing beyond past successes and finding innovative ways to remain at the forefront of science and medicine. The latest evidence of that is the formation of a new basic science department as part of a larger realignment of our basic science departmental structure at the school of medicine.

Over the past several years, we have been thinking about what science can and should look like in the next generation. Zeroing in on biomedical research, there was a strong desire to build on Hopkins’ existing leadership while unlocking our full potential in a space where we know we can achieve significantly more. With that goal in mind — and after thoughtful discussions led by faculty and including department directors, trainees and staff — a new department was formed earlier this year through a merger between the departments of Physiology and Pharmacology.

Faculty from the two departments came together to determine a name — the Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics — and in many ways, this represents a perfect strategic fit. First and foremost, these fields of research are already deeply interconnected. Physiology involves studying cell functions and molecular mechanisms that govern how cells and organs work and interact. Pharmacology builds on and applies this foundation, allowing us to repurpose existing agents and develop new ones to provide treatments across a broad range of diseases and conditions.

By bringing these disciplines together, we can employ molecular, cellular, organ and whole-organism physiology to derive fundamental biomedical insights. We can bridge our understanding of biology with transformative new ways to treat conditions with precisely targeted medicine. We can equip our faculty and future scientists and clinicians with a comprehensive, biology-to-bedside perspective on drug development. And we can enhance interdisciplinary collaboration in ways that will propel biomedical science forward and better support the health and wellness of our patients. 

Our strategy to modernize and consolidate our basic science department structure also goes hand-in-hand with our vision for a state-of-the-art Life Sciences Corridor. This project is anchored by the new Johns Hopkins Life Sciences Building, which is the future hub for six newly developed “scientific neighborhoods” that connect scientists in similar fields and five “technology hubs” that will maximize the potential of new scientific technologies to advance biomedical research.

Of course, this exciting evolution would not be possible without the engagement of the faculty of physiology and pharmacology — including former Physiology Department Director Bill Guggino and the inaugural director of the Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ronald Schnaar. Their willingness to work together and fully embrace this new opportunity has been truly remarkable, reflecting the very best of Johns Hopkins Medicine’s spirit and culture.

An additional component of recalibrating our basic science departments was the closure of the Department of Biological Chemistry and the integration of its 11 primary faculty members and their lab teams into other departments. For more than a century, our biological chemistry department has been on the cutting edge of research, and we are immensely grateful to Interim Director Michael Caterina for his leadership during this transition.

These changes are an important part of modernizing our research facilities and technologies, fostering collaboration between clinical and basic science researchers and strengthening our focus on key scientific priorities over the next decade and beyond. And while these plans were first set in motion several years ago, they’ve also proven to be timely. With basic science at risk of bearing the brunt of looming federal funding cuts, now is the time to sharpen our focus and keep our eyes fixed on the future.