Research Dissemination Pilot Program (RIP): Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS)

CTSA programs supports high quality translational and clinical research and fosters integration and innovation in methods, training, and career development. The Mission of NUCATS is “Speeding transformative research discoveries to patients and the population.” Our Vision is for NUCATS to continually improve the cycle of clinical observation, discovery and translational science to drive improved health across the life course. In this application, we highlight how NUCATS has propelled transformative change within our ecosystem and created a continuous pipeline of resources and services that speed innovative discovery to patients and the population. In response to the current Funding Opportunity Announcement, we will specifically accelerate NUCATS’ efforts in creating a learning health system that engages patients and clinicians in the translational process and is fueled by a well-trained, diverse clinical research workforce, equipped with the tools for performance of high quality team science, and focused on improving the methods and processes of translational science that drive improved health care delivery and dissemination of new knowledge. Global Aim #1: NUCATS will catalyze the evolution of a Learning Health System across our partners by integrating new knowledge, informatics, diverse stakeholders and the clinical environment to innovate and rapidly translate discovery into health care across the life course. Leveraging our institutional strengths in CTS, we will catalyze multi-dimensional connections between our academic discovery engines and clinical partners, and deploy a portfolio of programs to promote stakeholder and patient participation at all levels of CTS, focusing on rapid translation and dissemination. Global Aim #2: NUCATS will create the translational research teams of tomorrow by enhancing and disseminating our nationally-recognized programs in translational workforce development. Building on our leadership in education and career development for all parts of the translational workforce, we propose an integrated suite of didactic, experiential and mentored programs that will accelerate CTS, enhance community and stakeholder engagement, and improve the quality and efficiency of research. Global Aim #3: NUCATS will leverage NU’s international leadership in the “science of team science” to optimize and disseminate tools for the effective “practice of team science.” We propose a highly innovative empirical approach to improving team assembly, team launch, and team maturation support of diverse, multi-disciplinary, and stakeholder-engaged teams across the full spectrum of CTS, including development of a broadly inclusive, data-driven and learning team recommender system (NUteam), and education and support programs that we will test and disseminate in concert with other CTSA institutions. Global Aim #4: NUCATS will constantly innovate and advance the methods and processes of CTS to drive continuous improvement in the “science of translational science.” We propose an innovative structure that allows for real-time monitoring of programs and adds novel metrics for assessing research impact to create a data-driven, results-based culture that drives continuous improvement with focus on improving the quality, safety and efficiency of CTS, and disseminates effective strategies via the CTSA consortium and stakeholder organizations. Within the context of these global aims, NUCATS will continue to support the entire spectrum of CTS, from basic discovery through clinical trials to population health research, regardless of