Rhode Island Child Clinical Trials Collaborative

The Rhode Island Child Clinical Trials Collaborative (RI-CCTC) is an ideal clinical center for the ECHO ISPCTN. This application builds on our successes in the first two award periods, in which we were a top enrolling site, submitted five network study concepts, were the (co-) PI of three ISPCTN studies (ACT NOW Weaning, SAMBA, PhITT), and provided leadership to the network through our committee work. Our state’s demographic includes children from all over the globe, who have high rates of infant mortality, asthma, obesity, prematurity, mental health problems and special health care needs. These high-risk populations have not been previously included in many clinical studies, and thus is benefitting both directly and indirectly from RI-CCTC’s work. Rhode Island is uniquely organized for population-based research - one major obstetric hospital (80% of the state’s deliveries), one children’s hospital (90% of the state’s pediatric admissions), one health department, and an engaged community. These factors allow for effective enrollment, retention and follow-up of study participants, allowing RI-CCTC to make a strong impact on network studies. We leverage our rich network of collaborations with existing research, education and public health programs, and our national research network affiliations. These partners share our commitment to children’s health and child health research. The Brown University School of Public Health and the Alpert Medical School has recently created the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute (HCHII), which focuses on understanding the prenatal, perinatal and postnatal factors that lead to childhood asthma, obesity and autism. The RI-CCTC will leverage the resources of the HCHII to create a broader and more comprehensive research network to serve children in the state of RI. Investigators in the Schools of Public Health and Medicine have considerable expertise in the study of environmental exposures and their impact on children. The contact PI, Thomas Chun MD, MPH, has extensive experience with multi-center networks and their leadership, through his experience with the ECHO ISPCTN and the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network. Co-PI Abbot Laptook similarly has been a leader in both the ISPCTN and the NIH funded Neonatal Research Network. Co-PI Phyllis Dennery MD has had consistent NIH funding for her basic and translational research, participated in many training grants and multicenter clinical trials, and extensive research mentoring experience. The continuity of this leadership team will ensure RI-CCTC’s future success in fulfilling ECHO’s goals and mission. Our Specific Aims are to: 1) Continue to provide new opportunities for enrollment of patients in ECHO ISPCTN studies by building on our current collaborations between our academic research centers and community partners, and our Plan for Enhancing Community Perspectives; 2) Continue to provide leadership to the ECHO ISPCTN and ECHO Program by developing new clinical trials, serving on network committees, and disseminating study results; 3) Develop and expand programs to educate and mentor clinicians to become independent investigators.