South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research (SCTR) will be the catalyst for changing the culture of biomedical research, facilitating sharing of resources and expertise, and streamlining research-related processes to bring about large-scale change in the clinical and translational research efforts in South Carolina.

Research support service areas
Success Center—Support Center for Clinical and Translational Science
Director—Royce R. Sampson, R.N. The center is the entry portal for SCTR programs and services. Success links investigators and research team members to SCTR and other institutional services, cores and programs.

Clinical & Translational Research Support Center (CTRC)
Director—Gary Gilkeson, M.D. The CTRC offers research services in nursing, body composition, dental services, biostatistical reviews, lab services, bionutrition, informatics, and study coordination.

SCTR TEACH (Training, Education and Career Home)
Director—Thomas Hulsey, Sc.D. The goal of SCTR TEACH is to increase the clinical and translational research workforce through the development of a coordinated, complementary and innovative suite of educational and mentoring opportunities. SCTR–TEACH will transform our institution by offering novel methods and approaches to provide an integrated and flexible research education and career development environment.

Regulatory Knowledge and Support Program
Director—Robert Malcolm, M.D. The program uses a service model, designed to remove bureaucratic barriers, streamline workflows and smooth the learning curve, while continuing to uphold the highest standards in the protection of human subjects.

Biomedical Informatics Program

Director—Iain Sanderson, M.D. The program’s goal is to integrate the informatics programs of SCTR and HSSC institutions, their medical centers, physician networks, major healthcare systems and populations across South Carolina while also providing robust tools for researchers.

Design, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research Ethics (DBECRE) Program
Director—Yuko Palesch, Ph.D. DBECRE will provide a central resource for SCTR investigators providing access to an extended family of biostatisticians, clinical trial specialists, clinical research ethicists, and important research tools for collaborative expertise.

Evaluation and Tracking Program
Director—Dave Murday, Ph.D. The program will use evaluation and quality improvement processes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of clinical and translational research. In addition to collecting, analyzing, synthesizing, and reporting evaluation and quality improvement data, the program will work closely with all SCTR Programs to facilitate their use of data in their scientific efforts.

Research activities areas
Novel Clinical & Translational Methodologies Program
Director—Robert J. Adams, M.D. Novel Methodologies will support SCTR by consolidating resources, bringing together diverse groups now doing translational research in South Carolina going beyond academic centers (“distributed translational research”), improving efficiencies, enhancing scientific discoveries with special emphasis on speeding the translation to clinical trials and community application.

Translational Technologies & Resources Program
Director—Charles Smith, Ph.D. The ultimate aim is to develop new therapeutic approaches and more efficient translation of these approaches to the community by consolidating resources, improving efficiencies, and enhancing scientific discoveries.

Pilot Projects Program
Director—Perry V. Halushka, M.D., Ph.D. The program’s goal is to facilitate new, meaningful clinical and translational research; promote scientific interactions between basic and clinician-scientists and between clinician-scientists and the community; also to accelerate the process from discovery to improved patient care.

Community Engagement and Research Program
Director—Marilyn Laken, Ph.D., R.N. The program’s goal is to build capacity and collaborative partnerships and alliances that enhance public trust leading to the expansion of clinical and translational training and research. The CER Program will lead an innovative, systemwide effort to strengthen capacity for collaborative research relationships among academic investigators and community members, community-based clinicians, and local health care organizations.

MUSC Clinical, Translational Science Award facts

• The largest  NIH initiative of the last decade
  
• Award is $20M during the next five years
• 60 CTSAs will be funded nationwide by 2012
• CTSA is a culture change in the research environment that will accelerate the translation of discoveries into improved therapies and clinical practice
• CTSA engages communities in clinical research efforts and trains researchers
• CTSA provides support for all six colleges
• Through the SCTR Institute, the CTSA provides more research infrastructure support, better training for researchers, greater access to top clinical trials and promising new treatments for patients who need them now
• Economic opportunities for South Carolina include jobs created directly from the CTSA; more biotechnology transfer and spin-off companies/ contributions to the knowledge-based economy taking root in South Carolina

Friday, July 17, 2009