Boston University proposes to create a Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the BU-BRIDGE Institute, that will integrate, connect and expand our current researchand university programs and, thereby, provide an academic and intellectual home for the next generation of clinical and translational investigators. The Institute will be organized around five Divisions: 1} Translational Science Incubator;2) Informatics;3) Clinical Research Enhancements;4) Community Engagements;and 5) Research Education and Training. These five divisions are specifically designed to support the bi-directional development and translation of ideas that begin in the laboratory or bedside move seamlessly back and forth to result in new relevant tools to improve health, health care and delivery. The BU-BRIDGE will accomplish five specific aims: 1) Coordinate existing and identify new collaborations among existing BU scientists with the potential to develop into multidisciplinary translational programs, and facilitate the BU """"""""one stop shopping"""""""" program for creating intellectual property and commercialization of translational scientific ideas;2) Support the further development of existing and the creation of new translational programs and cores through a network of pilot grants. 3) Provide new and existing Clinical and Translational research programs with an expanded and enriched menu of BU-BRIDGE-based institutional support, including an improved, user friendly medical informatics syslem (warehouse), expansion of research from our GCRC into community populations, provide an integrated approach to ethics, regulatory issues, study design, analysis and implementation of health interventions 4) Provide the conduit for bi- directional flow of ideas between clinicians and clinical and basic scientists to more fully engage the community in the research process including setting priorities for investigation, designing studies, ensuring ethical research conduct and implementing best practices based on study results;5) Serve as the Center for training the next generation of investigators with the proper tools to translate basic science into clinical research. The new institute is cross University entity that supercedes traditional departments and schools. It encorporates multiple key university programs including the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Framingham Heart Study, Boston University Office of Technology Development Commercialization portfolio, Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Bioinformatics,Sargent College of Allied Heath Professionals,the Boston Health Net, Boston Medical Center and VA Hospitals that support the university wide commitment for a home for translational research. The CTSA award will provide the resources to transform the institute by leveraging existing strengths to create an environment that will link new ideas,faculty, trainees and university programs to speed innovations in medical science. The mission of the BU-BRIDGE is relevant to the public health as it will enhance the development of healthcare practices availableto members of the local and national communities.
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