The University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) is undergoing a major strategic planning effort to develop an MU Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (ICTS). The Vision is to establish an Institute that will facilitate formal degree-associated and non-degree-associated multidisciplinary, clinical and translational research leading to rapid translation to clinical practice and that will stimulate professional development and training in clinical and translational sciences. The Mission of MU-ICTS is to provide the following: (a) multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary team approaches to clinical and translational research to span from bench to bedside, from bedside to practice, and back; (b) a graduate degree-granting training program in clinical and translational science (CTS), and (c) a comprehensive career development program via formal faculty mentoring. ? ? Although many key components for the ICTS are already in place, a comprehensive planning process is needed to prepare our institution to fully meet the criteria for an NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA). Hence, this application for a CTSA Planning Grant is being submitted to accelerate and intensify the planning process at MU.
The specific aims of the planning grant are intended to support several key planning activities for the MU-ICTS as follows: (a) to launch a campus-wide dialogue (""""""""town meeting""""""""), (b) to conduct a survey of stake holders, (c) to conduct an inventory of resources and environment, (d) to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment, (e) to plan for a graduate degree in ICTS, (f) to design the career development components of a clinical and translational science program, (g) to identify optimal multidisciplinary teams, (h) to identify needed research cores and translational technologies, (i) to integrate ? community partners, G) to assure an effective regulatory environment, (k) to develop a plan for the structure and governance of the ICTS, and (I) to develop a business plan to ensure that the new ICTS will rest on a solid and sustainable financial foundation. ? ? Following the completion of these planning activities, a comprehensive Strategic Plan for the ICTS on the MU campus will be developed as a roadmap for implementation. All aspects of the planning process will be carefully evaluated, including a Vulnerability Assessment and an External Review. This proposal for an ICTS Planning Grant is viewed as an extremely valuable opportunity that can assist us at the University of Missouri-Columbia to achieve our Vision and Mission and to vitalize an outstanding clinical and translational science program on the MU campus. ? ? ?
