The objective of this planning grant application is to facilitate Medical College of Georgia's (MCG) development of a plan for the content of and foundation for effective governance, administration and evaluation of a Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA). This grant will enhance MCG's efforts to transform the institution's approach to clinical and translational research (CTR). MCG's CTR scientists are focused upon the leading causes of mortality in Georgia (cardiovascular diseases including stroke, diabetes and cancer) which are characterized by significant health disparities among under served populations (e.g., rural Georgians) and ethnic minorities, especially African-Americans. Researchers represent multiple disciplines (genetics, bioinformatics, biostatistics and epidemiology, health behavior, physiology, molecular and cellular biology, pharmacology, clinical medicine and telemedicine) & span all 5 schools (Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, and Graduate School). To enhance efficiency and speed of translating scientific discoveries into health care and develop a cadre of well-trained biomedical CTR scientists, MCG leadership has initiated the process of establishing an environment that will provide infrastructure, resources and institution-wide support for participation in the discipline of CT science, education and training. This transformation will help enable Georgia's only Public Health Science University accomplish its mission of eliminating health disparities and improving the health of Georgians by being at the fore front of future medicine, which we envision as being preventive, predictive and personalized. Working groups with representatives from each discipline and all 5 schools will address 4 primary specific aims: 1)Building upon MCG's CTR strengths, what are our opportunities for growth in CTR and associated career training and faculty development?; 2) Building upon MCG's available resources, services and technologies, what is needed to enable our successful transformation into multi- and inter-disciplinary CTR?; 3) What will be the optimum organizational structure of the new CTR academic home and how will it be governed and evaluated?; 4) What resources is MCG committing and will need to commit to facilitate the CTR transformation? Strong senior leadership support across all schools, bi-weekly meetings of working groups and external advisory input will ensure accomplishment of the aims, leading to a CTSA within 3 years. ? ? ?
