ABSTRACT
This proposal leverages strengths across the University of Michigan (UM) Congenital Heart Center and broad
UM campus to support continued participation as a PHN Clinical Research Center, collaborating with the PHN
to advance innovative science in pediatric and congenital heart disease (CHD). The UM team has a long-
standing track record of PHN contributions including: serving as a top enroller for many PHN studies; leading
the SVR, SVR III, FUEL-FALD, and COMPASS trials; directing the PHN biorepository; leading PHN data
integration efforts (iCARD Collaborative); and serving as active mentors, including two current PHN DEI
Scholars. Through this proposal, UM aims to foster large-scale, collaborative, and efficient PHN investigations
that create new knowledge and transform care. These efforts are supported by UM’s high clinical volumes,
comprehensive data warehouse, and dedicated research core (MCHORD) which has extensive experience
fostering multi-center investigation. Further, UM’s national leadership of Cardiac Networks United brings
together multiple networks spanning traditional data silos and >2/3 of US heart centers to foster novel and
collaborative investigation, support efficient research designs such as the “trial within a registry” approach
being utilized for the PHN COMPASS trial, and to foster translation of new findings to the bedside-for example
a recent project that reduced cardiac arrest rates across the country. Second, UM aims to advance
investigation of innovative and cross-disciplinary therapies across the field. This work is supported by UM’s
novel clinical programs, experience fostering collaboration with other disciplines to address complex research
questions (such as the collaboration between cardiologists and hepatologists UM led for the PHN FUEL-FALD
study), and ability to bring forward unique expertise spanning the broad UM campus. For example, the study
proposed in this application integrates clinical efforts pioneered by the heart center’s novel mental health
program (M-COPE), resources to support community engagement from the UM CTSA, and expertise in virtual
care and digital technologies from the UM Center for Healthcare Communication and Research, to study an
intervention to improve mental health for patients with CHD. Finally, UM aims to enhance diverse perspectives
and reduce inequities, making advances widely available to all. Resources to address this critical need include
a dedicated UM Congenital Heart Center DEI Committee, outreach locations (14+) and virtual capabilities
across the state and region to increase diversity and access to research, leadership of numerous research
projects geared toward understanding and mitigating inequities in our field, efforts related to the Cardiac
Networks United Health Equity Module and DeGAUSS tool which support standardized collection of SES data
across sites, and a proposed novel initiative within this application to support student interns in DEI-related
CHD research. The UM team looks forward to applying these resources and expertise as a PHN Clinical
Research Center to continue to advance treatment and outcomes in pediatric and congenital cardiac disease.