Our vision for CCMB in 2030 is built on a foundation with four strong pillars:
- Attract, retain, and support high-caliber faculty
We recognize that our ability to advance the frontier of science and train the next generation of craniofacial researchers depends crucially on cultivating a faculty with diverse interests and expertise. We will continue to recruit researchers who share our commitment to improving craniofacial health and whose research programs demonstrate potential for attracting funding and producing high-quality publications.
In support of our trajectory of growth, we will strive to provide an excellent environment for conducting research, with laboratory space, shared equipment, and support staff necessary for these efforts. We will continue to provide pilot funding to enable our faculty to generate preliminary data and support their personnel as they transition to other mechanisms of support.
- Enable innovative research directions to improve human health
As the craniofacial community fully realizes the potential of recent revolutionary scientific advances such as the burgeoning “omics” fields and nanotechnology, we envision that many new avenues of research will become integral to improving health care. Though the full spectrum of future developments cannot be foreseen, we have identified a number of areas of increasing importance, in which CCMB can and should bolster our capabilities: (i) cell-based and regenerative medicine; (ii) the microbiome; (iii) genomics; (iv) nanotechnology-guided material science; and (v) clinical trials and novel therapies. In addition to our existing strengths in bone, tooth, and neural crest biology, we have identified further tissues of interest including nerves and associated cells, muscles, and salivary glands.
- Train and mentor the leading scientists and clinicians of tomorrow
As one of the nation’s premier research centers in craniofacial biology, we have a strong impetus to do our part to ensure that the future of the field is bright. We believe that the clinical and scientific workforce of the future must be diverse and interdisciplinary, and that as consumers of scientific literature, they are best served by engaging in hands-on research experience. We affirm our commitment to recruiting and fostering an inclusive community of researchers from diverse backgrounds, including those which are underrepresented in science. We will provide a supportive environment for our students and early-career scholars that provides intellectually and personally enriching activities, including comprehensive mentorship from more senior researchers throughout USC and beyond as well as opportunities for professional development. To these ends, we will support travel to scientific conferences; improve our integration with the school curriculum; offer research opportunities for high school, undergraduate, and postgraduate students; and encourage our junior researchers to compete for early-career awards.
- Empower the broader community through outreach and communication
We believe that the knowledge gained through our scientific efforts is meant to be shared, and that it is our responsibility to promote transparency and reproducibility in research. Furthermore, we aim to increase our visibility in the Los Angeles area and beyond, in order to inform, educate, and empower the public to take control of their health. In addition to making our research findings available through scientific publications and publically available data repositories, we will also communicate with other stakeholders through press releases, social media, publications geared towards those outside our field, and government advocacy. Through the appropriate conduits in the development office, we will also establish connections with philanthropists in order to gain support for our innovative research and training program.