CTSA UM1 Program at University of California San Diego Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute - PROJECT SUMMARY The Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute (ACTRI) at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) dynamically and rapidly translates scientific discoveries into innovative health solutions. Given the significant growth of our biomedical research portfolio during the last funding cycle, we are positioned to grow our profound impact on advancing translational science and public health within our region and beyond. To amplify our efforts, we will leverage our culture of team science to discover, develop, and catalyze clinical and translational science (CTS) innovations, determine their efficacy and effectiveness, and disseminate and implement these inventions to overcome roadblocks in translation. Examples of innovative activities that we are excited about include: a new Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee that assesses the ACTRI efforts through a lens of inclusivity (Element B), a robust workforce development portfolio that tackles key challenges faced by CTS researchers across the continuum of their careers, including capacity-building for future leaders with our Leadership Academy (Module C1 and K12); the use of a community-centric approach to build trust and expand the reach of our research (Module C2); the use of artificial intelligence in CTS research and a new Next-Gen Trial team to help investigators design and execute decentralized, platform, and adaptive trials (Modules D1, D3); the development of a What’s Next? program to assist early-stage investigators who receive pilot project grants and other ACTRI services in their career planning (Module D2); and new methods for sampling the immune milieu in the upper respiratory tract, use of serious games for developing team science and systems thinking, and finding best ways to provide naloxone to stop overdose deaths in local Tribal lands (Element E). To leverage our expertise and avoid over-extending our resources, we have strategically established partnerships. Our biomedical science partners (i.e., Salk Institute, Sanford Burnham Prebys, and La Jolla Institute for Immunology) provide considerable depth in basic science discoveries that require further translation to improve health. Our clinical partners serve vulnerable and underserved populations in our rural and border regions (i.e., El Centro Regional Medical Center, Eisenhower Health), children and adolescents (i.e., Rady Children’s Hospital), and military veterans (i.e., Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System). Our new higher education partner, Mesa College of the San Diego Community College District, has a superb track record for serving under-represented students. In forging these strategic alliances and embracing a culture of inclusive innovation, the ACTRI is not just advancing CTS, it is ensuring impact, and fostering a diverse, sustainable workforce that will drive groundbreaking health solutions for future generations.
