Grant for Translational Science at UTMB
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has received a $22 million grant from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.
The Clinical and Translational Science Award will be implemented by UTMB’s Institute for Translational Sciences to support teams of researchers from diverse scientific disciplines working together to translate discoveries and innovations into clinical practices that improve health.
The Institute is one of 62 currently funded by the highly competitive cooperative agreement. The new award recognizes the accomplishments that the ITS has made since first receiving a CTSA in 2009.
Building upon the novel education programs, strengthened community partnerships, and scientific advances of the program, the ITS has emerged as a leader in the evolving field of translational science.
“Multidisciplinary translational teams grew naturally here and have already made significant changes to the landscape,” said Allan Brasier, ITS director and principal investigator for the CTSA. “Our CTSA is unique because of its focus on maximizing the effectiveness of translational teams, which provide support and catalyze innovation to move science forward. These teams also provide opportunities for trainees to gain authentic, real-world experience. Of course, these innovative new programs could not be successful without the support of UTMB’s executive leadership and departments”
Over the next five years, the ITS and its partners will expand the success of multidisciplinary research teams, enhance education in translation and team leadership, address cultural barriers to translation and improve health outcomes in communities.
There will also be a focus on enhanced technology commercialization using an innovative Insight Workgroup Model developed through collaboration with UTMB’s Center for Addiction Research, Office of Technology Transfer and Center for Biomedical Engineering.
“I am very pleased that the innovative approaches to research and research systems that are foundational for our CTSA, as overseen by our Institute for Translational Sciences, have been recognized by this continued funding from the NIH. UTMB is committed to supporting science that meaningfully advances patient care,” said Dr. Danny O. Jacobs, executive vice president, provost and dean of the School of Medicine.
The CTSA initiatives will be implemented by a team of more than 30 co-investigators from a dozen departments led not only by Brasier, but by Elena Volpi, Sharon Croisant, and Mark Hellmich in the departments of internal medicine, preventive medicine & community health and surgery.
