Participants from across the CCTS Partner Network gathered to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to establish a patient navigation program to enhance minority recruitment and retention in clinical trials at their institutions.

This fun, fast-paced training took attendees through the five stages of Design Thinking, a Stanford d.school method for tackling “fuzzy problems” by reframing them in a human-centric way. Led by CCTS Executive Council Member Dr. Molly Wasko and her team of experts from the UAB Collat School of Business.

This week-long course, hosted by CCTS and the Heflin Center for Genomic Sciences Sept. 18-22, will immerse investigators in the principles, technologies, and experimental approaches in genetics and genomics through both lecture and hands-on activities. Investigators from Partner institutions are encouraged to register as well (GTM will be available for long-distance attendees).

The Letter of Intent (LOI) deadline for the 2018 CCTS Partner Network Multidisciplinary Pilot Program is 5pm CDT on Wed. Aug. 30. We welcome projects that address questions of importance to the health of our communities, including health disparities and health challenges across the life course, as well as clinical conditions that disproportionately affect our region. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with questions and package requests.

Do you have a novel idea that could help people? If so, mark your calendar for one of our upcoming information sessions about the I-Corps @ UAB program, which helps investigators assess the value of their research projects, prototypes, and protocols. Those who participate in the full four-week I-Corps program will receive $2500 to test out the product-market fit of their visions.

Consortium representatives from across the CCTS Partner Network gathered in Tuskegee on Aug. 3rd to discuss moving forward on several initiatives, including developing an R13 grant, growing the number of profiles in the PURE research database, and hosting a regional Community Engagement Institute.

More than 130 people converged on PCAMS last Wednesday for our latest Open House, which featured nine stations highlighting our latest initiatives in support of clinical and translational science. Attendees enjoyed the opportunity to engage with our science-savvy CCTS experts and each other.

Reflecting our diverse population in clinical trials is essential to producing scientific discoveries that translate into health improvements for everyone. Join us for an expert-led discussion of the challenges in and potential solutions for recruiting participants from under-represented populations.

Are you an early career scientist with a faculty position at a CTSA-affiliated institution or regional partner? Are you within 10 years of completing your terminal research degree or medical residency? If the answer to both questions is yes, are you also interested in tackling the “difficult problem” of opioid misuse? If so, consider applying to a five-day Innovation Lab on the opioid epidemic, hosted by the University of Buffalo Nov. 6-10, 2017. Applications due Sun. Aug. 20.

Do you have a project that will address scientific questions of particular importance to the health of our communities, including health disparities and health challenges across the life course? Do you investigate clinical conditions that disproportionately affect our region? If so, consider applying for a CCTS pilot award! Contact CCTS Research Commons (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for an application package. Letters of intent are due by 5pm CT on Wed., Aug. 30, 2017.

The CCTS will continue to offer "Accessing Clinical Data for Research with i2b2," a hands-on training that helps investigators learn how to use the i2b2 database to access de-identified patient data, check study feasibility, develop hypotheses, and more, throughout the remainder of 2017. Registration is required. Supervisory approval is required for non-faculty (e.g., trainees, staff). All attendees are strongly encouraged to request i2b2 access prior to their session.

The 2017 cohort of the CCTS Summer Enrichment Program, our 8-week training to prepare students early in their clinical education for a possible career in translational research, recently presented their final projects to an appreciative, highly engaged audience at PCAMS.

What are the key aspects of the mentor-mentee relationship? Explore the common and not so common challenges in mentoring and being mentored via this 8-week training, led by experienced UAB mentors. Registration requested, walk-ins welcome. Certification available for participants who complete all eight topics. First topic, "Maintaining Effective Communication," opens Friday, Aug. 4.