Hub Spotlight: Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute
CCOS is pleased to continue our series of hub highlights, celebrating innovative contributions to clinical and translational science across the CTSA Program. Today, we spotlight the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute at the University of Colorado Anschutz. Their work is driving meaningful progress in the understanding and treatment of Parkinson’s disease, exemplifying the power of translational science to improve health outcomes.
Recent research from the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) has brought new hope to patients with Parkinson’s disease, demonstrating that exercise is not just beneficial, it may be essential. Scientists have shown that high-intensity exercise can improve motor symptoms and potentially slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease, a disease affecting more than 25 million people worldwide. These findings have shifted the treatment paradigm, with exercise now considered a first-line treatment for Parkinson’s. Studies like the SPARX trials have revealed that high-intensity treadmill exercise is safe, feasible, and shows a “signal of efficacy” in reducing the rate of motor symptom progression. Efficacy is now being evaluated in the Phase 3 SPARX3 trial. For patients, participation in these research studies has led to improved strength, mood, and quality of life, underscoring the real-world impact of this work.
Exercise stands out as a non-pharmacological intervention with widespread benefits and relatively few risks. It is accessible, can be tailored to individual needs, and positively impacts nearly every system in the body. Yet, exercise is often viewed more as a preventive measure than a therapeutic one. Dr. Wendy Kohrt, who has directed the CCTSI’s Clinical Translational Research Center for years, points out that barriers such as lack of insurance reimbursement and limited clinician training in exercise science mean that patients are often told to “exercise” without specific guidance. She likens this to handing patients a pill bottle with no instructions. The evidence base for the therapeutic effects of exercise is still limited, and large-scale intervention trials like those conducted at CCTSI are essential to building the scientific foundation needed for precise exercise prescriptions.
The SPARX studies exemplify this commitment to rigorous research. The first two SPARX trials laid the groundwork by showing that high-intensity treadmill exercise could be more effective than moderate intensity, providing the foundation for the larger SPARX3 phase 3 trial. Despite delays due to COVID-19, SPARX3 is on track to reach full enrollment in 2026, with retention rates over 90% for its 18-month intervention. Participants begin with supervised sessions at the facility to fine-tune their exercise regimen, using devices that measure heart rate and other metrics. Eventually, they transition to independent workouts at gyms or at home, supported by study-provided equipment.
Central to this research is the CCTSI’s adult outpatient Clinical Translational Research Center (CTRC), home to a dedicated exercise research facility. Spanning nearly 5,000 square feet, this research-only space is equipped with specialized nursing staff and cutting-edge equipment for body composition, muscle strength, and cardiovascular endurance testing. The facility’s adjacency to the CCTSI creates a “one-stop shop” for research participants and investigators, making it possible to conduct complex intervention trials with precision and efficiency. Dr. Kohrt highlights its unique role: “For exercise intervention trials, you almost always want to be able to measure things like body composition or muscle strength or cardiovascular endurance. Having the facility is key... the adjacency is key and unique.” The facility is accessible to both large programs and early-career investigators, ensuring that innovative research can flourish at every level.
The CTRC facility’s support, backed by the CTSA, has made it possible for CU Anschutz to be a thought leader in exercise and lifestyle intervention research for Parkinson’s patients. This leadership extends beyond Parkinson’s disease, as the institute is also a key participant in the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC), a major NIH initiative. MoTrPAC is building a vast, publicly available database of the molecular responses to exercise, with studies in animals and humans, including over 1,500 adults and 300 adolescents randomized into endurance, resistance, or no exercise control groups. If clinicians know that a certain blood pressure medicine targets a specific molecular signaling pathway, MoTrPAC’s data could be used to decide whether exercise also interacts with that same pathway. That would allow clinicians to prescribe exercise with precision, in place of or alongside medications. Dr. Kohrt envisions MoTrPAC as providing “a much better scientific foundation for knowing when and in whom exercise might be a reasonable alternative to pharmacologic therapy.”
As the SPARX3 trial nears completion and MoTrPAC’s data become available, the CCTSI investigators are poised to answer some of the most pressing questions in exercise science. Their work is driving meaningful progress in the understanding and treatment of Parkinson’s disease and exemplifies the power of translational science to improve health outcomes. Through research, collaborative expertise, and a unique infrastructure, the CCTSI is not just advancing science, it’s transforming lives.
