In the late 1990s, a School of Medicine planning group at the University of California at Irvine began the ambitious process of wholly and strategically transforming the conduct of translational science throughout the institution. The planning group embraced its commitment to break down the barriers that inhibit the process by which scientific discovery becomes good clinical practice, train the next generation of clinical scientists, and consistently maintain a bidirectional and robust sensitivity to the community we serve - all goals in line with the mission of the University of California. In 1999, with substantial UCI institutional support, the application for a satellite General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) at UCI was funded on its first submission. The Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (ICTS) was established as a result of the NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) to speed the translation of new scientific discoveries into clinical practice, promote measurable improvements in community health, and make personalized medicine a reality. Building upon GCRC at UCI, the ICTS serves as the academic and intellectual home for the next generation of investigators at UCI.

Over the past several years, the ICTS has played an active role in supporting and growing ongoing multidisciplinary research programs of productive, talented clinical investigators here at UC Irvine. The lessons learned in each of these individual cases have strengthened our ability to create an enterprise that benefits and promotes clinical translational science throughout the campus and community

The ICTS leadership structure continues the ongoing process of transforming existing research and training activities at UC Irvine into a recognizable, integrated, and flexible home for clinical translational science across the campus and throughout the community. Our principal goal is to ensure that new and existing resources in clinical and translational science are effectively and rapidly matched with the creative energy of UC Irvine basic scientists, clinical investigators, and community partners to improve medical care and public health and to train the next generation of clinical researchers. The ICTS will facilitate the goals of the faculty and of the institution, and pull together all the components of translational research.

Units & Unit Leaders

PILOT AND COLLABORATIVE TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL STUDIES
Unit Leader: Pietro Galassetti, MD, PhD

TRANSLATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES AND RESOURCES
Unit Leader: Vince Caiozzo, PhD

DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL AND CLINICAL TRANSLATIONAL METHODOLOGIES
Unit Leader: Bruce Tromberg, PhD

BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS
Unit Leader: Lisa Dahm, PhD

DESIGN, BIOSTATISTICS AND CLINICAL RESEARCH ETHICS
Unit Co-Leaders: Robert Newcomb, PhD and Hal Stern, PhD

REGULATORY KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT
Unit Leader: Madeleine Pahl, MD

PARTICIPANT AND CLINICAL INTERACTIONS RESOURCES
Unit Leader: Ruth A. Mulnard, DNSc, RN, FAAN

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Unit Co-Leaders: Kimberley Lakes, PhD and Lorena Teran, PhD

RESEARCH EDUCATION, TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Unit Leader: Oladele Ogunseitan, PhD, MPH