Alignment of emergency medicine research efforts with Clinical and Translational Science Awards

The Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) represent a major new funding pathway for health science investigators seeking National Institutes of Health (NIH) funds. This new pathway provides institutional-level support for clinical and translational research and is not tied to one organ system or disease process, fitting well with emergency medicine (EM) research needs. These awards open unique opportunities for advancing EM research. The CTSA mechanism provides institutional support from the NIH to promote both clinical and translational science. Of the 60 expected awards, 38 sites are currently funded. EM investigators can benefit the institutions applying for these awards and simultaneously gain from involvement. Some opportunities for participation provided by the CTSA include research training programs, joining multidisciplinary research teams, seed grant funding, and use of the CTSA-developed research infrastructure. Involvement of EM can benefit institutions by enhancing acute care research collaboration both within and among institutions. Emergency medicine researchers at institutions either planning to submit a CTSA application or with funded CTSA grants are encouraged to become actively involved in CTSA-related research programs.