A planning grant would enable us to lay the foundations for an """"""""academic home"""""""" for interdisciplinary clinical and translational research aimed at linking basic and natural sciences and clinical medicine, integrating research discoveries with innovative medical applications, and developing improved patient care practices through community participation. In partnership with diverse departments and entities across the university and throughout the state, we plan to secure institutional support, establish an effective administrative structure, survey resources and needs, develop an appropriate methodology, designate a location, and strengthen collaborations necessary to create the Hawai'i Clinical & Translational Science Institute (HCTSI or Institute). The activities designed for the planning phase embody the spirit of the NIH Roadmap by fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and intellectual exchange between basic scientists and clinicians as they apply knowledge of human biology and fundamental principles of computer science, engineering, physics, mathematics, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and microbiology to develop novel and improved disease-specific diagnostic tests, therapeutic interventions and preventive strategies for health disparities of regional and national importance. Moreover, these activities will be designed to closely complement the basic-science, clinical and patient-oriented activities that are currently conducted at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM). In addition, we will seek to incorporate other non-UHM partners, including a private research institute in Hawaii, a local biotechnology company, several community hospitals and other community resources. We will accomplish our broad objective through four specific aims:
Specific Aim 1 : Establish Administrative and Organizational Structure;
Specific Aim 2 : Identify Needs, Survey Resources, Define Policies and Procedures and Establish Partnerships and Collaborations;
Specific Aim 3 : Identify and Prioritize Novel Translational Research Methods and Core Facilities and;
Specific Aim 4 : Design and Designate a Physical Location for the HCTSI. Accomplishment of these planning phase activities would prepare UH for submission of a competitive full CTSA application for 2007. ? ? ?
