The Philadelphia Regional Stroke Trials Network Coordinating Center (PRSTNCC) is a highly effective collaborative stroke research team comprised of adult and pediatric vascular neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, emergency physicians, rehabilitation specialists, and other experts who conduct clinical trials focused on stroke treatment, prevention, and recovery. The PRSTNCC is based at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), an urban, tertiary care, academic medical center in Philadelphia, PA, which serves as the Hub of the consortium, and has joined forces with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and 8 additional member hospitals (Spokes) located in geographically and ethnically diverse areas in and around Philadelphia (and 1 in Rhode Island). The PRSTNCC thereby unites comprehensive stroke centers, primary stroke centers, and a regional pediatric center, providing access to a broad range of patients with stroke to a multidisciplinary group of clinicians and researchers. The overarching goal of the PRSTNCC is to reduce the burden of stroke among patients of all ages and backgrounds within this region by conducting interdisciplinary trials of promising clinical interventions for stroke treatment, prevention, and recovery. The multi-disciplinary PRSTNCC leadership team, led by Principal Investigator (PI) Scott E. Kasner, MD, has extensive experience conducting multi-center stroke clinical trials, and has been a leading enroller for the current NIH StrokeNet. The PRSTNCC infrastructure supports efficient and effective conduct of stroke trials among the participant hospitals. Research support and expertise are provided by the Hub, particularly in the areas of human subjects protections and other regulatory activities, and education and orientation of clinical and research staff in an effort to streamline trial implementation and expedite patient enrollment. The Hub provides ongoing support for data collection and transfer during trial execution, and provides timely feedback and education about trial results to member specialists and hospitals to encourage translation of research results into clinical practice. In addition, we are training a new generation of stroke researchers in the conduct and design of clinical trials by providing them with the knowledge and skills necessary for a successful academic career as independently-funded clinician-scientists.
Stroke is a disabling, often fatal and expensive disorder that is a major public health burden, and is the fourth most common cause of death in the United States. This application will support the Philadelphia Regional Stroke Trials Network Coordinating Center, an efficient and effective regional stroke research consortium of diverse hospitals and multidisciplinary clinicians. This regional center facilitates the conduct of multiple clinical trials that are examining promising new therapies for prevention, acute treatment, and recovery for adults and children with stroke and related disorders.
