The Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) at the University of Pittsburgh has one central focus: to facilitate the translation of biomedical research advances into clinical and public health practice and policy—bridging from laboratory bench to patient bedside to community-based practice.
To achieve this goal, CTSI is working to integrate existing programs with innovative new clinical and translational science initiatives under a common umbrella and to create an awareness and understanding—initially among members of the biomedical research/health care community but eventually among the general public as well—of the tangible benefits to health practice that can be realized from clinical and translational research.
The University of Pittsburgh’s CTSI is part of a growing nationwide consortium of institutions selected and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to pioneer a transformation in how research is conducted. “The purpose of CTSI is to improve the efficiency of the translation of biomedical advances to individuals and to the population as a whole,” says Steven E. Reis, MD, CTSI director and the University’s associate vice chancellor for clinical research, health sciences.
“Other goals,” he says, “are to promote initiatives that ensure that patients and members of the general community have greater access to clinical trials, to encourage collaborations that can facilitate the adoption of new medical therapies in clinical practice, to foster the launch of novel technologies, and to promote the training of a new generation of clinical scientists. The results of succeeding in these endeavors will be profound and lasting.”
The development of this consortium during the tenure of former NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni represents what he has called the first systematic change in our approach to clinical research in 50 years. “Working together,” he said, “these sites will serve as discovery engines that will improve medical care by applying new scientific advances to real world practice. We expect to see new approaches reach underserved populations, local community organizations, and health care providers to ensure that medical advances are reaching the people who need them.”
At Pitt, this initiative extends across all six schools of the health sciences—and beyond. Through the establishment of 10 core divisions, CTSI is channeling existing resources while also developing an infrastructure to develop and support a wide range of other institutional resources that are all designed to foster clinical and translational research.
Along with its extensive clinical networks, UPMC is engaged as an active partner in this initiative, especially insofar as facilitating the recruitment of community members who are willing to participate in clinical research. Additional collaborations are also being built with various other Pittsburgh institutions, including the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and RAND Corporation.
