When I first though of taking the position as Director of Lombardi, I was struck by the remarkably wide range of opportunities for Lombardi to connect with research enterprises within the Washington, DC area. Many of these enterprises are truly world class and it is important for Lombardi to take advantage of these opportunities.
The American Legacy Foundation and its Schroeder Institute represent one remarkable opportunity in that regard. The Legacy Foundation was formed as a result of the tobacco settlement and has played a major role in educating the public about the risks of tobacco smoking and nicotine addiction. The Schroeder Institute has become a remarkably impactful research enterprise at the Legacy Foundation. Led by Dave Abrams, a well-known tobacco control expert, the Schroeder Institute has a range of tobacco control research activities that fit extraordinarily well with Lombardi’s focus in both the Cancer Control and Carcinogenesis, Biomarkers, and Epidemiology programs.
This is a truly complementary collaboration in that the Schroeder Institute will provide Lombardi with the opportunities to expand more actively into prevention and other interventional studies, while Lombardi provides the Schroeder Institute with a clinical outlet for its efforts. I expect in the years to follow that many additional points of research collaboration will evolve.