. By training our translational science workforce to better understand the commercial potential of their research, the dissemination of the I-Corps@NCATS program provides an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate scientific translation through the CTSA Hub and Network system. The I-Corps@NCATS program was initially developed with a CTSA Administrative Supplement to Enhance Network Capacity (PA-16-328). The 5-week I-Corps@NCATS short course was designed specifically to meet the needs of biomedical scientists in academic medical centers and has demonstrated significant impact on the translation of scientific discovery through commercialization. The dissemination of this program from the initial 9 I-Corps@NCATS Mentor Nodes to an additional 13 CTSA Trainee Sites will increase the innovative capacity of the CTSA Consortium and create a Translational Science National Innovation Network. We are using a robust Train-The- Trainer model that has proven effective at disseminating a standardized curriculum and approach aimed at improving our collective capacity for advancing biomedical research through to commercial products and services. This approach will expand the scope and implementation of the I-Corps@NCATS training program for clinical and translational investigators so that they may participate more fully in the commercialization process from idea generation to clinical application and be prepared as teams to compete for SBIR/STTRs and other NIH national programs. By working with 22 CTSA partners, we achieve an unparalleled critical mass of innovators, experts, resources and public-private partnerships, which can shape and coordinate healthcare research, facilitate commercialization efforts and provide a focal point for entrepreneurial interest and investment. The dissemination of the I-Corps@NCATS program will accelerate the translation of biomedical innovation across different stages of development by building the I-Corps@NCATS network capacity through a national Train-The-Trainer program (Aim 1). We will apply a set of common metrics, that have already been developed and tested, to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the I-Corps@NCATS program across the expanded network of 22 CTSA Hubs (Aim 2). We will accelerate the transition of discoveries toward improved healthcare services by laying the foundation for further dissemination across the CTSA network and develop the Translational Science National Innovation Network (Aim 3). By disseminating an approach with demonstrated effectiveness for validating the commercial potential of innovative ideas, advancing early stage technologies and connecting potential collaborators to create new opportunities, we aim to have a significant impact on the translation of scientific discoveries to improved human health.
