It’s an annual tradition for Discover Brigham to bring people together around big ideas that have the potential to transform medicine. But this year’s lineup of presentations and speakers will also offer something new: a special focus on how these ideas both shape and are impacted by the patient experience.

On Thursday, Nov. 9, the Brigham Research Institute (BRI) will host the half-day event, highlighting and celebrating the contributions of the 1,300 physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists in the BWH community.

Free and open to the public, Discover Brigham will take place throughout the hospital, bringing together the BWH community and the greater Boston health care ecosystem to educate, inspire and foster collaborations around science, technology and medicine.

This year’s panel topics include population science, artificial intelligence, nursing research, immunotherapy, trauma research and much more.

Here’s a preview of a few sessions taking place at Discover Brigham 2017. Check back soon – we’ll be adding information about other sessions as it becomes available.

To learn more about Discover Brigham and to register, visit discoverbrigham.org.

The Microbiome Across Diseases: Did you know that your body is made up of as many bacterial cells as human cells? This collection of bacteria, referred to as the microbiome, is involved in everything from preventing inflammation to making you attractive to a potential mate. During this session, a panel of BWH experts will discuss a range of research topics related to the microbiome, including how they might affect the growth and development of babies, how your microbiome could influence whether you develop food or other allergies, how they might affect your reproductive health, and how it might be possible to alter your microbiome via fecal transplants.

Nursing Research: What does it mean to achieve Magnet designation? Why is Magnet so important to the Brigham’s future? This session will answer both questions and more, highlighting the Brigham’s journey toward Magnet designation. To obtain Magnet designation, health care organizations must measure and recognize quality patient care/outcomes and demonstrate interprofessional collaboration, professional development opportunities, innovation and shared decision making. Magnet hospitals are defined by a culture of excellence and innovation, which thrives throughout the entire organization and is recognized as a marker of excellence among health care organizations and hospitals. This discussion will include clinical nurses who are involved in the work highlighted in our Magnet documentation and the work that exemplifies Magnet designation.

Immunotherapy: How does your body fight infection and cancer without fighting itself? Or does it? During this session, a panel of BWH experts will discuss the work being done across different disease areas, both to promote and suppress the immune system, depending on the clinical context. The session will also feature a patient who will share their perspective of being on the receiving end of a pioneering immunomodulatory treatment.

Population Science: Which foods are good for you and which ones aren’t? Will a new medication help prevent a complication of a disease? What are the side effects? There is an overwhelming amount of opinions out there, but how do you know which ones are correct? To answer these questions, physicians rely on the results of carefully conducted research studies, including long-term observational studies and clinical trials. During this session, attendees will learn about different studies being conducted at the Brigham and what you should look for when you read about medical research. You’ll also hear from longitudinal study and clinical trial participants about their experiences.

Artificial Intelligence: AI (Artificial Intelligence) is one of today’s most highly publicized solutions to healthcare. But is it just a buzzword? Is it all hype? Will AI deliver? If so, when? And if so, how? Experts from various specialties across the Brigham will participate in a panel that aims to address these questions and concerns: How will AI change patient care and the modern physician, how is AI being used today and finally how do we go from where we are now, overcome the challenges and achieve the promise of AI?

Gene editing: Using the gene editing technology known as CRISPR, researchers at the Brigham are now able to edit human DNA, to improve interpretation of the code and to develop transformative gene-based medicines to treat serious diseases. Panelists participating in this session will discuss genomic sequencing and interpretation; the policies and ethical dilemmas behind providing patients their genetic information; and the use of CRISPR technology.