Expanding Translational Science in Arkansas

Arkansas is a small state with significant disease burdens, particularly for individuals who have reduced access to health care due to geographic constraints. The Translational Research Institute (TRI) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has radically transformed our environment for clinical and translational research (CTR) in Arkansas. Our current Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (CTSA) allowed us to form new multi-disciplinary teams that have created solutions for the health needs of Arkansans and expand research opportunities through new collaborations with primary care clinics around our state. In response to the evolving priorities of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), we will now adopt a greater emphasis on translational science (TS) by integrating the scientific and operational principles of TS within the context of our translational research. Our vision is to develop and test TS innovations that will drive real world solutions to improve health outcomes for all Arkansans. In collaboration with our participating and collaborating partner institutions, we will develop and test TS innovations to facilitate and amplify our TR approaches to offer new solutions that will improve the health of all Arkansans. Over the next seven years, we will 1) Develop, demonstrate, and disseminate innovations that cultivate translational science at multiple stages of the clinical and translational research spectrum; 2) Launch and expand research programs across institutions and communities that will create innovative solutions tailored to the health needs of Arkansans; 3) Accelerate workflows to support research that meets population health and chronic disease management needs; and 4) Ignite innovations in training a skilled and cross-disciplinary translational science workforce.