Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Houston have been awarded a $44.2 million Clinical and Translational Science Award Program grant from the National Center for Advancing Translational Research to create a regional hub that will serve as infrastructure, services, community engagement and workforce development support to advance clinical translational science research and drive innovation.
Key Takeaways
- The $44.2 million grant to BCM and UH established the Translational and Precision Health Consortium, a regional hub to support clinical translational research.
- Building on partnerships between BCM, UH and other clinical and research groups within the Texas Medical Center, CTPH fosters innovation in areas including basic science, health services pharmacy and entrepreneurship.
- The Hub will connect researchers with regional health and government organizations to support infrastructure, services and workforce development, creating a multidisciplinary environment that advances healthcare solutions.
- CTPH provides funding and resources for pilot projects and research initiatives to accelerate the application of new technologies and discoveries to patient care and population-level impact.
- It will leverage the expertise of UH’s 10 schools of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, optometry and engineering, and emphasize a comprehensive, systemic approach to improving population health outcomes.
The new hub, called the Consortium for Translational Precision Health (CTPH), will build on the strong partnership between UH and BCM, as well as the clinical and research groups within the Texas Medical Center that work with the two institutions. The hub will leverage the strengths of both institutions in basic science, translational research, health services, pharmacy and entrepreneurship to develop and disseminate innovations. CTPH will also connect researchers with community health organizations and government agencies that contribute to regional health care, clinical research and policy.
“This innovative grant for clinical research led by Baylor University and the University of Houston will advance patient care in Houston and beyond,” said Dr. Paul Klotman, president, CEO and executive dean of BCM. “It will accelerate the introduction of new technologies into patient care.”
“Research is the engine that drives life-changing advances in health care,” said University of Hawai’i President Renu Khator. “This innovation hub will be a catalyst for groundbreaking discoveries and treatments that improve people’s quality of life. That’s what drives the University of Hawai’i, and we’re thrilled to co-found this regional hub of change with Baylor University.”
CTPH is led by Dr. Christopher Amos, professor and director of BCM’s Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR), Dr. Fasiha Kanwal, professor of medicine and chief of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at BCM, and Dr. Bettina M. Beach, clinical professor of population health and chief population health officer at UH.
“CTPH is a partnership that leverages the strengths of both institutions to create a rich interdisciplinary environment. It serves as a vehicle to enhance the infrastructure and resources needed to effectively conduct research and implement solutions that advance healthcare,” said Carolyn Smith, PhD, interim senior vice president and dean of research at BCM. “It will help implement and create ongoing core research activities that support clinical translational science at both institutions.”
The Hub will fund pilot projects and provide necessary foundational support for ongoing research. For example, researchers developing clinical studies may need assistance with community outreach and engagement, additional study design plans, access to clinical data, etc. CTPH provides resources and services to accelerate the pace of research from discovery to population-level impact.
The foundational platform for CTPH was built in part through work from Amos’s group at ICTR, a group within BCM that supports clinical and translational research.
CTPH will leverage the expertise of UH’s population health programs and research departments, as well as 10 UH colleges, including the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, the Andy and Barbara Gessner College of Nursing, the College of Pharmacy, the College of Optometry, the C.T. Bauer College of Business, the Cullen College of Engineering, the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the College of Education, the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and the Honors College.
“We are committed to advancing innovation in clinical and translational science, and this award is a major step forward in our mission to improve the health of the nation,” said Beach. “This is a testament to the unwavering dedication and collaborative spirit of everyone involved. It has truly been a team effort.”
Currently, more than 60 leading medical institutions across the country receive CTSA program funding. These institutions provide expertise, resources and partnerships at the national and local levels to improve the health of individuals and communities. The CTSA program fosters the field of translational science through education, training and career support at all levels.
