Goal #8: Foster the development of the emerging field of translational science

This year’s theme, “Mind the Gap: Overcoming Barriers in Translational Science," centered on the unique role of translational science, which focuses on innovation that overcomes challenges. The event was held in-person, offering opportunities for attendees to connect and visit while on the Washington University (WashU) School of Medicine Campus.&nbsp;The symposium kicked off with a welcome from ICTS Director <a href="https://infectiousdiseases.wustl.edu/people/william-g-powderly/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">William Powderly, M.D.</a> Dr. Powderly reflected on the ICTS’ achievements and discussed future initiatives as the ICTS embarks upon its 17th year of consecutive funding from the <a href="https://ncats.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) </a>of the National Institutes of Health.&nbsp;Following the welcoming remarks was a research panel that focused on addressing the gap between early-phase research and clinical trials. These panelists were featured:<ul><li><a href="https://cardiology.wustl.edu/people/kory-lavine-md-phd/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kory Lavine, M.D., Ph.D.</a> Professor of Medicine (Cardiology), Developmental Biology, Pathology, and Immunology</li><li><a href="https://infectiousdiseases.wustl.edu/people/rachel-presti/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rachel Presti, M.D., Ph.D</a>. Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases)</li><li><a href="https://microbiology.wustl.edu/people/christina-stallings-phd/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Christina Stallings, Ph.D.</a> Professor of Molecular Microbiology</li><li><a href="https://endocrinology.wustl.edu/people/fumihiko-urano-md-phd-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fumihiko Urano, M.D., Ph.D.</a> Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology), Pathology and Immunology</li></ul>&nbsp;Read the full article <a href="https://icts.wustl.edu/icts-hosts-the-6th-annual-symposium-and-poster-display/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.Watch the full recording <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A6eHkqkQo4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.

Washington University in St. Louis Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences

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Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University ICTS Hosts the 6th Annual Symposium and Poster Display


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Goal #1: Advance clinical and translational science

The first CCOS-coordinated Collaborative Workshop was held May 22, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event, co-sponsored by the Wake Forest CTSI and the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, was focused on explaining what learning health systems (LHS) are and exploring how the CTSA program can leverage learning health systems as a mechanism of translational science to turn science discoveries into solutions with clinical benefits.&nbsp;The Collaborative Workshop was attended by 89 people, 80 of which were CTSA members representing 33 CTSA Program institutions. The attendees had varying levels of familiarity with LHS; some came from institutions with established LHS’ and others attended to learn how to implement an LHS at their own institution. After opening remarks from Dr. Michael Kurilla, Director of NCATS Division of Clinical Innovation, and workshop co-leads Dr. Doug Easterling, Wake Forest CTSI, and Dr. Martin Zand, CCOS Team Science, the Collaborative Workshop began with a morning of introductory presentations. Speakers introduced key concepts of LHS and discussed how their specific LHS operates, highlighting the wide variety of possibilities and potential implementation strategies for LHS. The panelists demonstrated how an LHS can be simple, by implementing A/B testing protocols to improve clinical practices or more complex involving more robust implementation oversight. Panel discussions were held after the presentations, giving the audience the opportunity to ask clarifying questions about the speakers’ experiences with LHS.&nbsp;After laying the groundwork with these introductory panels, attendees were invited to suggest topics for breakout room discussions in the afternoon. Two rounds of topic identification resulted in nine breakout topics: &nbsp;<ul><li>Learning Health System maturity models</li><li>Pragmatic clinical trials</li><li>Evaluation impact of learning health systems</li><li>Building a learning health system team</li><li>Intersection of learning health systems and quality improvement</li><li>Data infrastructure</li><li>Learning health systems in large health systems</li><li>Integration and role of the CTSAs in learning health systems, and &nbsp;</li><li>Community role in learning health systems</li></ul>&nbsp;Workshop attendees selected which topics most interested them and were empowered to switch breakout discussions if they chose. During these small group discussions, resources, challenges, and next steps for each topic were identified and shared with the whole audience at the end of the day.Several themes emerged during the Collaborative Workshop; in particular, challenges to implementation and successful organization of LHS’ were discussed extensively. Funding was an often-cited challenge, but strategies to overcome this challenge were shared, such as aligning the incentives of different stakeholders or demonstrating the value of a LHS to organization executives by identifying case studies or proofs-of-concepts. Another theme that emerged during the panels and breakout sessions was that no two learning health systems are identical, and how they operate is often dictated by the source of funding; however, regardless of the size or arrangement, the focus of LHS should be patient-centered, and equity should be at the forefront by engaging the community. &nbsp;&nbsp;The learning health system workshop was a day of networking with CTSA peers and learning that highlighted the complexity and collaborative nature of the CTSA Program. Discussions of how the CTSAs could align their efforts in learning health systems were held in multiple breakout sessions, highlighting the potential of the CTSA program to advance this type of work. Dr. Easterling hoped that attendees took away a “fuller appreciation of the challenges of [learning health systems]”, noting that LHS is “the paradigm for translational science”. Many attendees expressed their hope that these types of discussions will continue so that different CTSA hubs can learn from each other how to best implement a learning health system at their institutions.&nbsp;CCOS is already planning its next Collaborative Workshop and encourages CTSA members to attend – details to come soon! &nbsp;&nbsp;

Wake Forest Clinical and Translational Science Institute

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Wake Forest University

Learning Health Systems Collaborative Workshop 

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Goal #3: Address health disparities 

About the Organization: ICan.Sir!, a grassroots organization is seeking to become a non-profit with these goals in mind:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ol style="list-style-type:decimal;"><li>Provide holistic non-medical support to African American women diagnosed with breast cancer</li><li>Collaborate with organizations addressing breast cancer among African American women in Wyandotte County</li><li>Increase awareness and education about the specific issues that African American women experience related to risk for and experiences of breast cancer (systemic racism, increased morbidity and mortality)</li><li>Provide education, training, and activities around holistic prevention strategies that foster health and wellbeing.</li></ol>&nbsp;Prevention, Education, Choice. Those are the three pillars of the ICanSir! organization and extremely important to Dola Williams as she dealt with her own cancer journey about seven years ago.&nbsp;“When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, there was a lack of services in Wyandotte County (Kansas), especially for African American women,” Williams said. “Other issues a lot of women, especially African American women, face are they do not share their diagnosis and many times, they accept the diagnosis for what it is…"&nbsp;Read the full article <a href="https://frontiersctsi.org/news-events/broderick-crawford-community-partnership-award-dola-williams-with-icansir" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.

Frontiers Clinical and Translational Science Institute at the University of Kansas

CTSA CCOS

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Washington University ICTS Hosts the 6th Annual Symposium and Poster Display