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Promoting translational research in academic health centers: navigating the "roadmap"
Timothy P Cripe1, Blythe Thomson, Thomas F Boat
1Division of Hematology/Oncology, MLC R7015, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. timothy.cripe@cchmc.org
Summary
The Translational Research Initiative (TRI) bridges basic science and clinical pediatric care by providing infrastructure and funding. This model supports developing new diagnostics and therapies, addressing critical needs in children's health.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Research
- Translational Science
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Translating basic research into clinical applications, especially for pediatric diseases, faces significant time, cost, and funding challenges.
- Academic health centers struggle to actively participate in biomedical research to bridge the gap between basic and clinical studies.
- New drug and clinical assay development has largely been dominated by the pharmaceutical industry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish an institutional infrastructure at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center to promote and facilitate the clinical implementation of investigator-initiated basic research.
- To provide grant support for translational proposals addressing pediatric diagnostic or therapeutic deficiencies.
- To create specialized research cores, regulatory support, and educational opportunities to foster multidisciplinary collaboration.
Main Methods:
- The Translational Research Initiative (TRI) was established in 2001.
- The program offers grant support, specialized research cores, protocol development, regulatory affairs support, and educational initiatives.
- An interim outcome report was generated, measuring extramural funding, Investigational New Drug applications, publications, clinical trials, and educational activities.
Main Results:
- The TRI program has demonstrated success in securing extramural funding.
- The initiative has led to the filing of Investigational New Drug applications.
- The program has facilitated the publication of manuscripts and the launch of clinical trials, alongside the creation of educational initiatives.
Conclusions:
- The Translational Research Initiative (TRI) has successfully built an infrastructure to promote and facilitate the clinical implementation of investigator-initiated basic research.
- The program's success in securing funding, advancing drug development, and launching clinical trials suggests its potential as a model for other academic health centers.
- This initiative effectively bridges the gap between basic and clinical research, addressing critical needs in pediatric illnesses.