Conduits: Mount Sinai Health System Translational Science Hub

In the past decade, Mount Sinai has invested significantly in the integrative translational initiatives needed to advance precision medicine. This included investments in genomics, high-performance computing, clinical informatics, smart technologies, and computational biology. In concert with institutional strategic goals and increasing community concerns around environmental toxins, ConduITS, the Mount Sinai Institute for Translational Science, has evolved its approach to precision medicine to include a precision public health framework integrating genomics with key public health domains such as environmental health, community-level determinants, and big data team science to more effectively address emerging health challenges. ConduITS will harness unique strengths in research informatics, digital health, genomics, exposomics (the study of all health relevant environment), and data science to transform the science of translation to accelerate discoveries into better health outcomes for all across the lifespan. We will augment ConduITS’ role in transforming the local, regional, and national translational research enterprise by developing and sharing innovative educational programs, incentivizing transdisciplinary team science in emerging data science fields (e.g., exposomics) and entrepreneurship, as well as training the workforce on emerging clinical and bioinformatics learning health system approaches that leverage big data. Our aims cut across the domains serving as organizing principles for our CTSA hub including: 1) Workforce Development. Evolve learning opportunities promoting transdisciplinary clinical data science and entrepreneurial activities; 2) Full-spectrum translational science. Advance full-spectrum translational science (from basic to dissemination science) across all training initiatives and leadership ranks in ConduITS to promote activities that drives sustainable health impact and promotes longevity,; 3) Collaboration and Engagement. Engage a range of stakeholders in all phases of translational research through accelerator models constituted to address priority concerns of the populations we serve and apply a life course and data science framework: 4) Informatics. Leverage data science to better coordinate health care delivery with translational research by integrating secure electronic health records (EHRs), patient reported outcomes, clinical trials management systems, and institutional biobanks and data repositories, enabling clinical data science research; 5) Methods and Processes. Innovate and streamline research administrative oversight and processes to minimize roadblocks, ensure quality and integrity; monitor outcomes and garner feedback from stakeholders to facilitate and enhance participation in clinical translational research supported by ConduITS, regional CTSA hubs, and the CTSA national network; and 6) Integration. Incorporate translational research across the lifespan, spanning from perinatal and pediatric participants to geriatric populations, accelerating inclusion of environment in life course precision medicine via our innovative Exposomics optional function.