Entering its fifth year, the Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) is dedicated to creating a new model for conducting clinical and translational research throughout the Johns Hopkins University, by addressing critical obstacles that impede the progress of basic science discoveries to the clinic, and clinical discoveries into the community. By encouraging and catalyzing change, the ICTR seeks to lower barriers between scientific disciplines, foster collaboration, and. provide creative, innovative approaches to the solution of complex medical problems. Through the national consortium of CTSA institutions, the ICTR also participates in the advancement of Clinical and Translational Research as an academic discipline. The ICTR offers a wide variety of consulting, educational, training, infrastructure and support services to any and all members of the Johns Hopkins research community who are currently preparing or executing a study. The ICTR supports adult inpatient/outpatient, child inpatient/outpatient clinical research units at both the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. The ICTR provides support for investigators from early Tl translation (Drug Development, Geneomics and Proteomics Translational Cores) to final phases of T2 translation (Community Engagement and Knowledge Implementation Programs). Protecting human research participants in the broadest sense is essential to the mission of translational research so the ICTR supports research participant advocates and regulatory knowledge program that has the primary role of research ethics training at Johns Hopkins. Delays in getting pilot funding is a huge barrier to accelerating the pace of translational research. In response we have created an Accelerated Translational Incubator Program (ATIP) which funds translational teams for a milestone driven, project managed one year period of time. The ICTR has created the Johns Hopkins Clinical Research Network (JHCRN) with 11 hospitals (including 6 non Johns Hopkins Hospitals). The JHCRN includes written agreements to improve the efficiency of study startup. Finally the ICTR has a strong commitment to training the new generation of researchers through comprehensive programs.
By identifying and overcoming barriers in the translational pathway, increasing scientific collaboration, providing consultative sen/ices, clinical infrastructure, and technology cores that bridge the gap between the laboratory and the clinic, the ICTR helps to speed the pace of scientific discovery, and bring effective therapies to the public, and improve the health of Americans.
