Advancing Clinical and Translational Science
The CCTS Partner Network CTS Research Program tackles key barriers in clinical and translational science by developing innovative, scalable solutions. We identify, support, and evaluate projects that generate insights to inform the broader CTSA community.
Program Goals:
- Identify and manage high-impact CTS research projects
- Share findings across CTSA programs and the scientific community
- Launch pilot projects to address major CTS challenges through cross-disciplinary collaboration
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Tackling Barriers to Innovation in Real-World Practice
The CTS Research Program supports projects that help translate proven innovations—like diagnostics, therapeutics, and interventions—into everyday clinical, community, and public health settings.
Barriers addressed include:
- Integrating innovations into clinical workflows
- Overcoming patient mistrust and distrust
- Adapting electronic health records (EHRs) for new tools
- Enabling decentralized trial enrollment
- Expanding access to remote monitoring and self-testing kits
- Improving communication of diagnostic results (e.g., genetic testing)
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2025–2026 Funding Cycle:
- Thematic RFA Released: Focus on "Knowledge to Practice" barriers
- Stage 1: Letters of Intent (LOIs) submitted and competitively reviewed
- Stage 2: Selected applicants invited to submit full proposals
- Award: One 2-year project funded at $200,000, beginning May 1, 2026
- Multisite collaborations strongly encouraged
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Inaugural Funded Projects
Project 1: Strategy Linkage for Enhanced Recovery Programs
Leads: Larry Hearld, PhD & Daniel Chu, MD
This project tackles implementation challenges in under-resourced health systems by developing a tool that links context-specific assessments to actionable implementation strategies, enabling more efficient deployment of Enhanced Recovery Programs (ERPs).
Goals:- Identify common implementation barriers
- Build a scalable, user-friendly linkage platform
- Pilot the tool in Alabama hospitals
Major Activities & Progress:
- Systematic Reviews: Two literature reviews underway; full-text review and data abstraction in progress
- Tool Selection: PCAT (Primary Care Assessment Tool) selected for context assessment
- Template Design: Supporting tools identified to inform implementation templates
- Qualitative Research: Interview guide drafted; IRB amendment prepared
- Collaboration: Met with Project 2 team to align pilot testing
- Pilot Planning: Ten Alabama hospitals identified for pilot deployment
- Platform Development: Vendor engaged to create digital linkage platform
Project 2: Risk Stratification Using SDoH + Clinical Data
Leads: Carrie Howell, PhD & Andrea Cherrington, MD, MPH
Aiming to improve patient outcomes post-discharge, this project is building a risk stratification tool that integrates clinical metrics and social determinants of health (SDoH). The tool will identify high-risk patients and link them to appropriate care resources to reduce readmissions and length of stay.
Goals:- Develop and validate an integrated risk model
- Design implementation strategies to link patients to services
- Improve clinical workflows and care transitions
Major Activities & Progress:
- Tool Development: Ongoing validation of the risk model
- Implementation Design (Aim 2): Defining strategies for integrating the tool into real-world care settings
- Engagement: Collaboration with clinicians and site partners to assess feasibility and workflows
- Data Integration: Advancing linkage between clinical and SDoH datasets for real-time decision-making