Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences

PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT Since its inception in 2006, our CCTS has assembled a well-integrated, and high-impact network in Texas including 6 academic institutions: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTH-H), the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), Rice University, University of Texas at Tyler (UT- Tyler), University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UT-RGV), and two UTH-H affiliated hospital systems (Memorial Hermann and Lyndon B. Johnson County Hospital). We have actively supported and integrated our partners into NCATS national initiatives, including recent recruitment of a large number of diverse patients for COVID-19 trials and studies. Over the past 17 years, our CCTS has supported investigators at 30 institutions from over 97 biomedical fields who disseminate scientific and healthcare initiatives that impact diverse populations. By expanding our network to include Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso (TT-EP), our catchment now encompasses ~23,000 sq. miles and over 16 million residents (4% of the U.S. population) showing some of the greatest diversity in the country. Each partner institution brings communities with unique geographic, demographic, cultural and socio-economic characteristics and challenges. In the next cycle, we will thoroughly integrate translational science into our entire program and expedite the output of scientific observations policies discoveries, clinical and community experiences into effective treatments, clinical interventions and public health that improve the health of people within our diverse state and beyond.Our shared leadership model and partnerships across the disparate regions of Texas will enable us to carry out our 6 strategic goals: (1) Enhance our robust organizational structure of Cores to improve and expand the impact of CCTS programs on translational science (Element B); (2) Promote partnerships and collaborations of stakeholders that extend benefits of translational science to underserved populations (Element B & Module C2); (3) Enhance integration of D&I sciences across our CTSA (Module C2); (4) Innovate scientific and operational functions of CRUs to expand the effectiveness and accessibility of CTS in broadly heterogeneous populations (Module D1); (5) Foster education and career training in translational science by establishing methods that inspire our growing workforce of clinical research professionals (Modules C1 & D2); (6) Create and disseminate innovative Health Informatics (HI) solutions to become a national resource for the response to urgent public health needs of underserved populations (Module D3). To accomplish these strategic goals, we will pursue our 3C's and 5I's motto: Community, Collaboration & Careers (3C's) and Impact, Inclusion, Implementation, Innovation, & Informatics (5I's). Our leadership and organizational model, resources, partnerships, and research infrastructure have been strategically planned so diagnosis, goal that more people get the benefits of translational science, from access to accurate efficacious treatment to cost-effective disease prevention strategies. This is our mission and our major which reflectsNCATS's vision: a world with "more treatments for ALL people more quickly".