CTSA UM1 Program at University of Utah

ABSTRACT The vision of the Utah Clinical & Translational Science Institute (CTSI) is to strategically and ethically develop and apply generalizable and reproducible clinical and translational science (CTS) innovations to increase science equity and health equity, and promote social justice. The Utah CTSI collaborates with local,

regional, and national partners and collaborators to achieve this vision through four specific aims: (1) Serve as a well-recognized hub for clinical and translational science that promotes science and health equity in a measurable, reproducible, and sustainable manner. (2) Design, develop, and test innovative translational

science methods, tools, techniques, and best practices to increase efficiency and reproducibility. (3) Support the implementation and dissemination of translational science innovations and the education and development of the translational science and research workforce. (4) Catalyze the advancement of translational research

discoveries from bench to bedside to populations to improve the health of individuals and communities, reducing health disparities and improving health equity. Through comprehensive and integrated workforce development programs, we will train the next generation of diverse clinicians, bench scientists, informaticians,

and health service scientists in the translational, ethical, and team science aspects of modern biomedical research. We will create a novel model and ecosystem for engaging stakeholders who experience health disparities, including underserved racial/ethnic populations, senior citizens, members of LGBTQ+

communities, and rural/frontier residents across the Intermountain West, in order to: ensure that many voices are heard throughout the research life cycle; (potential) research participants are informed, engaged, and supported so that participation is accessible to all; and findings are translated into care that supports health

equity. Through our resources and services, we will provide stakeholder engagement, study design and analysis, informatics, ethics, and clinical research infrastructure to the Utah CTSI community (including patients, community members, investigators, and providers). Our Translational Innovation Pilot program

will launch novel projects to address generalizable translational science questions, overcoming barriers to accelerate translational research. We will leverage modern informatics techniques to integrate clinical data with social determinants of health and environmental data in an easily accessible format to facilitate

quantitative studies seeking to understand how these factors contribute to health disparities. Our CTS Research Program will conduct a series of projects to improve inclusiveness across the translational research lifecycle. Our Strategic Management Team brings together experienced leaders from across the institution,

partners, and collaborators to unify our efforts, and ensure efficient administration and implementation of the Utah CTSI's aims. Our Hub Liaison Team will ensure that we have active, diverse partner participation in national NCATS and CTSA efforts, and promote dissemination of CTS innovations across hubs.