The Clinical Research Center of Hawaii: a nine year progress report

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Clinical Research Infrastructure
• Community Health

Background:

• The University of Hawaii Cancer Center (UH-CRC) is a minority-funded infrastructure program supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
• Established in partnership with Hawaii Pacific Health, the UH-CRC is in its ninth year of operation.
• The program focuses on addressing health disparities in Hawaii, particularly for communities disproportionately affected by certain disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To foster clinical research at the University of Hawaii.
• To improve the health of citizens in Hawaii.
• To document the progress and success of the UH-CRC infrastructure program.

Main Methods:

• This report is a status update on the UH-CRC's activities and achievements.
• Data presented includes manuscript publication rates and funding levels over time.
• The report covers the nine-year period of the program's operation.

Main Results:

• Manuscript publications increased from an average of 43 (years 1-3) to 54 (years 4-6) and 84 (years 7-9).
• Annual funding increased significantly, from $1-7 million in the first six years to $8-22 million in the last three years.
• The UH-CRC has demonstrated substantial growth in research output and financial support.

Conclusions:

• The UH-CRC has shown continued success and progress in its mission.
• The program has successfully increased its research productivity and secured substantial funding.
• The UH-CRC is positioned to compete for mainstream funding status by 2010.