Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute - TUFTS CTSI OVERALL PROJECT SUMMARY Over its 14 years, Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) has brought together partners and collaborators and has grown programs and activities to catalyze clinical and translational research (CTR) and to advance innovation in clinical and translational science (CTS). We focus on what we are best suited to do, based on our skills, resources, partners, and opportunities. Thereby, we provide outstanding services, resources, education, and mentorship, and conduct innovative research contributing to the field of CTS, locally and nationally. With this application, retaining our important structural features of integration across all of Tufts University, of having purposefully-selected partners, and adhering to our foundational principles, we are pleased to further grow our offerings and ambitions leveraging our long-standing partners’ contributions and assets and by adding the special assets of new partners. With growth, our foundational principles have not changed. We actively support the full spectrum of translational research, we practice “broadly-engaged team science,” and we are active collaborators, embracing our role as “the extrovert CTSA.” We believe that only by having systems and processes to continually assess and improve methods and operational principles will we achieve CTR/CTS excellence. We practice inclusive communications and work to advance health equity. And we insist that wherever work is on the T.5-T4 continuum, CTR must have a clear line of sight to potential ultimate impact on health. In addition to these foundational principles, in all we do, we reflexively look for opportunities to contribute novel research methods. Development, demonstration, and dissemination of new methods and approaches are hallmarks of our work, regardless of domain. Also, we manifest our belief that rigorous role-specific inclusive education and training are fundamental to excellence and advancing CTR/CTS. In service of these principles, our aims are: Overall AIM 1: Harness the collective impact of Tufts CTSI to advance CTS and improve public health through responsive Hub leadership, an inclusive and collaborative culture, and continuous improvement of programs and research. Overall AIM 2: Provide outstanding education, training, and mentoring, tailored to different roles and disciplines, to develop an expert and diverse CTS workforce, and share these resources nationally. Overall AIM 3: Cultivate broadly-engaged team science, with active inclusion of all stakeholders, to promote relevant and impactful translation for diverse populations and to promote health equity. Overall AIM 4: Create the environment, resources, and services to stimulate and support the full spectrum of CTS by leveraging the diverse expertise and assets of Tufts CTSI partners. Overall AIM 5: Foster translation by developing, demonstrating, and disseminating innovations that address significant translational roadblocks and provide generalizable translational insights and solutions.
