CTSA News

April 16, 2025

Wake Forest University Executive Education is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the first Implementation in a Learning Health System Institute to be held May 19 - 23, 2025 at the Wake Forest University Charlotte Center.  The Implementation in a Learning Health System Institute will provide attendees with the knowledge and skills needed to propose, design, implement, and evaluate healthcare innovations in the context of a learning health system. Designed for academic faculty, clinician-researchers, and healthcare leaders who conduct implementation science, or those currently involved in implementation practice who wish to obtain a deeper understanding of key principles and strategies, this institute will cover theories, models, and frameworks, as well as the development of protocols, evaluation approaches, and implementation strategies while developing the leadership skills necessary to navigate complex health systems. Register by April 29, 2025.

April 8, 2025

CCOS is pleased to announce a new series of hub highlights featuring the innovative clinical and translational science coming out of the CTSA Program. We will feature groundbreaking work from each hub in the CTSA program over the coming months, selected at random. Next up on the benchtop for analysis is the University of Utah’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI).   The University of Utah's CTSI is untangling mysteries in genomic medicine with their Specialized Innovation Program. This program addresses significant challenges in the field of genomic sequencing, specifically the detection of genetic mutations in hard-to-sequence regions of the genome. The CTSI’s solution is the development of the Tandem Repeat Genotyping Tool (TRGT), a computational method that can profile genetic variations across an entire genome. This advanced bioinformatics tool has been seamlessly integrated into clinical workflows, providing direct and immediate benefits to patients.  The human genome still holds a wealth of undiscovered information that can be utilized for the detection and treatment of genetic diseases. It’s normal for genomes to vary between people, but a change in a gene can result in a variety of consequences for a person’s health. Much of our genetic diversity is due to tandem repeats, repeating sequences in a region of the genome. Occasionally these tandem repeats overextend, leading to diseases like Huntington’s disease or Fragile X syndrome.  The number of repeats can also vary between individual cells in a body, a phenomenon known as genetic mosaicism, making it even more difficult to link a tandem repeat to a disease. Despite the link between tandem repeat length and disease progression, tandem repeats have been understudied.  There are methods for profiling different features of a repeat sequence, but they decrease in accuracy the longer a repeat sequence is, or they can only work on parts of the genome that aren’t coiled too tightly. Many known tandem repeats only become harmful when the sequence reaches hundreds of base pairs in length, too long for current methods to detect.  A team from the Utah CTSI collaborated with Pacific Biosciences to publish a new method of visualizing tandem repeats in Nature Biotechnology. The TRGT can profile tandem repeats across an entire genome sequence. This gives researchers the power to detect tandem repeats associated with complex traits, like those that may skip a generation.  In addition to TRGT, the researchers also developed two more tools: TRGTdb, and Tandem Repeat Visualization. TRGTdb is a database of tandem repeats that allows researchers to compare a single genome to a population. This tool can identify regions in that sample that are significantly longer than those in the general population, which could aid in diagnosing a disease. The Tandem Repeat Visualization tool plots out repeat sequences from a genome, allowing researchers to visualize changes in repeat sequences between samples. Together, these tools can characterize known harmful tandem repeats, providing a quick way to diagnose certain diseases.   The Specialized Innovation Program doesn’t end in the lab— it also seeks to implement new genomic tools like TRGT into clinical care. During a recent interview with CCOS, Dr. Rachel Hess, Co-Director of the Utah CTSI, emphasized the critical role of community engagement and implementation science in accelerating clinical and translational benefits. The program is working to develop strategies to support the adoption of rapid genomic diagnostic tools, like TRGT, in neonatal intensive care units. This underscores Dr. Hess’s commitment to moving discoveries into the community, ensuring that benefits are not confined to academic medical centers but are also accessible in the hub’s rural healthcare facilities. The Utah CTSI has also embraced cross-hub collaboration to enhance their programs. Dr. Hess highlighted the CTSI's adoption of a voucher program, inspired by other hubs, to provide small-scale funding support for researchers. This program addresses the need for quick financial assistance to overcome specific challenges in clinical and translational science projects. For example, obtaining funding for survey design typically takes months, slowing down the research process. This initiative allows decisions to be made within two weeks, maintaining project momentum and circumventing lengthy administrative processes. Although these funds are awarded from other university allocations and not the CTSA program directly, this initiative exemplifies effective cross-hub collaboration and innovation, demonstrating our hubs are aligning with the strategic goal NCATS set to reducing barriers in translational science.  The University of Utah CTSI’s Specialized Innovation Program exemplifies the transformative potential of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative solutions in the field of translational genomics. By addressing critical challenges in genomic sequencing and integrating advanced tools like the Tandem Repeat Genotyping Tool into clinical workflows, this CTSA hub is paving the way for rapid and accurate genomic diagnostics. The commitment to community engagement and the strategic adoption of cross-hub initiatives, such as the voucher program, further highlight the program's dedication to reducing barriers and accelerating the translation of scientific discoveries into tangible health benefits for all. 

April 7, 2025

Dr. Johnson’s appointment to The National Academies Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation will run through December 31, 2027. The forum is part of the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. This forum will hold public workshops, action collaboratives and meetings that are neutral venues where varying experiences can be shared and built upon. Members of the forum will also work together to spur cross-sector collaboration to develop practical approaches for advancing a clinical trials enterprise that is more efficient, effective and patient-centered and also integrated into the health delivery system… Read the full article here.

April 7, 2025

The UTHealth Houston Institute for Implementation Science and Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research are offering three short courses this spring in Dissemination & Implementation (D&I) Science. These continuing education courses are designed for students, researchers, and health professionals interested in D&I research. Each course is hybrid, available online or in-person at our Houston, TX campus.  Health Promotion Planning: An Intervention Mapping ApproachApril 22-25, 2025Instructors: María E. Fernández, Ph.D., Serena Rodriguez, Ph.D., and Eunyoung Kang, Ph.D.Fee: $1250Implementation Mapping: Using Intervention Mapping to Plan Implementation StrategiesApril 28-30, 2025Instructors: María E. Fernández, Ph.D., Serena Rodriguez, Ph.D., and Eunyoung Kang, Ph.D.Fee: $750Adapting Evidence-based InterventionsMay 1-2, 2025Instructors: Jacob Szeszulski, Ph.D., Patricia Dolan Mullen, Dr.P.H., and Eunyoung Kang, Ph.D.Fee: $500 Learn more about the courses and register here.

April 3, 2025

CCOS is pleased to announce a new series of hub highlights featuring the innovative clinical and translational science coming out of the CTSA Program. We will feature groundbreaking work from each hub in the CTSA program over the coming months, selected at random. Our third hub under the metaphorical microscope is the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Institute for Translational Sciences (ITS).  One of the unique strengths of the UTMB ITS is the hub’s history in team science – it was the very first hub awarded CTSA program funds that focused on the use of multidisciplinary teams to advance translational science. The primary mission of the UTMB hub is to foster multidisciplinary collaboration, bringing together a wide array of researchers to advance translational research through team-based approaches. This approach is designed to keep pace with the evolving landscape of scientific research, which increasingly demands a convergence of varied expertise and perspectives.  The CCOS team spoke with one of the key figures in this initiative, Randall Urban, M.D., who has been instrumental in advancing team science at his hub.  With the help of consultant Kevin Wooten, Ph.D., who is trained in business principles of team building, the hub has successfully applied these techniques to scientific research. This has resulted in the formation of multidisciplinary groups that collaborate across different departments within their own institution, and led to the development of new relationships with external partners.  Alliance Science Building on the foundation of team science, the UTMB ITS has expanded its approach from team science to “alliance science.” This concept involves forming alliances between multiple institutions, each contributing unique strengths and resources to the collective effort. Unlike traditional models, where one institution may dominate, alliance science ensures that each member is equally important, fostering a more balanced and synergistic collaboration. The UTMB ITS is currently a member of the Greater Gulf Coast Translational Science Alliance (GGCTSA) alongside three other prominent institutions, located in Houston:  Texas Southern University (TSU): As one of the nation’s largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities, TSU brings new and exciting capacities through its College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. This partnership demonstrates the type of symbiotic relationship that is essential to alliance science, as UTMB does not have a pharmacy school.  University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL): Known for its expertise as a minority-serving institution for Latinos and its proximity to NASA, this university contributes engineering expertise and a well-developed theater program that aids in the hub’s community engagement efforts through novellas and plays, which are often underutilized by scientific institutions but can be incredibly effective methods to build relationships with local communities.  Houston Methodist: This large private health system and academic medical center with a clinical and translational research institute is one of the largest healthcare providers in the Houston-Galveston region and focuses on transitions of proof-of-concept medical research into clinical use.  The alliance science model allows these institutions to collaborate on projects without being bound to UTMB, selecting the best-suited leaders for each initiative and leveraging the strengths of each partner. “This approach has led to a synergistic effect, enabling the alliance to do so many more things and achieve a greater impact,” says Dr. Urban.  The alliance is also making significant strides in workforce development. A new internship program for recent graduates, launched in collaboration with Houston Methodist, provides hands-on experience in translational careers such as research compliance, research ethics and integrity, and clinical trial coordination. Additionally, UTMB serves as an internship site for UHCL digital media studies students, who will assist with the forthcoming GGCTSA website.  Impact on the Local Community The alliance’s work has had a profound positive impact on the local community. One notable initiative is the development of clinical trial capabilities in nonhomogeneous neighborhoods. UTMB has helped TSU hire research coordinators and educate them on conducting clinical trials and community engagement. This effort includes setting up the necessary infrastructure for clinical trials, such as compliance, risk management, and clinical trials management systems.  In collaboration with UHCL and community organizations, the hub has produced community-oriented improvisational theater performances centered around diseases, effectively reaching and educating the community. The UTMB ITS has also established SCI Cafés, informal discussions where UTMB scientists engage with the community at local coffee shops to discuss translational science and address misinformation. Currently, there are four unique SCI Café series taking place across the Houston-Galveston region. One SCI Café series is dedicated specifically towards teens, and aims to educate and inspire young scientists. Additionally, the hub also holds Community Engagement Studios  to give researchers an opportunity to get direct feedback on planned or ongoing studies from patients, other stakeholders, and community groups.   These efforts provide a balanced perspective on health information and ensure that the hub’s (and its alliance science partners’) research is aligned with community needs and values.   The UTMB ITS's innovative approach to translational science, through alliance science, has set a new standard for collaborative research. By leveraging the strengths of multiple institutions and engaging with the community, the hub has made significant strides in advancing translational science and improving health outcomes. As Dr. Urban and his team continue to advance the capabilities of scientific collaboration, their work serves as a model for other hubs and research institutions. 

April 3, 2025

Next up in our CTSA hub spotlight series is The Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) at NYU Langone Health. The NYU CTSI provides resources, research services, and training in one of the largest, most complex cities in the nation. In an article published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, the Institute showcases a unique way to address the second goal in the new NCATS strategic plan: Empower everyone to contribute to and benefit from translational science. Historically, study populations in clinical research have not always represented the full range of individuals that stand to benefit from scientific discoveries. This has led to new treatments that are inadequate for all patients and contributes to a lack of trust in the medical community. Overall, this negatively impacts the quality of the research, study participant retention, and the health of the community. To address this divide between researchers and patients, the NYU CTSI created a Patient Advisory Council for Research (PACR) through its Recruitment and Retention Unit. The aim was to involve patients in providing feedback on clinical trials and health-related research studies. In collaboration with the clinical research informatics team, the NYU CTSI employed an electronic health record (EHR)-based strategy to recruit PACR members. This method involved randomly selecting NYU Langone Health patients based on the International Classification of Diseases codes and inviting them to participate through the patient portal. All interested patients were given a chance to speak with the Recruitment and Retention Unit program coordinator to ensure they understood the purpose and process of serving on the PACR. The initiative led to a PACR membership that represented various sociodemographic factors and health conditions, such as HIV infection, fibromyalgia, heart disease, and more. The researchers hypothesize that contacting patients through patient portals may allow them to reach a wider participant pool than traditional methods like nominations or flyers. Members provide feedback on study design, patient education materials, and proper reimbursement, ensuring that research is patient centered. This study highlights the advantages and limitations of using an EHR-based strategy for PACR recruitment. This approach may mitigate biases associated with traditional recruitment methods like nomination and referrals and enhance participation by various sociodemographic groups and health conditions. Looking forward, the NYU CTSI team seeks to further increase the diversification of their PACR by finding a solution for patients who might be inadvertently excluded by an electronic health record-based approach.