University of Wisconsin Institute for Clinical and Translational Research

The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) collaborates with partnering schools and the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute to expand support and innovation to accelerate clinical and translational research (CTR) across our Hub. Over the past funding period, our KL2 scholars have successfully competed for $131M in extramural funding. Our evidence-based CTR mentorship trained 501 master facilitators in 51 CTSAs. We engaged regional networks in 90% of the counties in Wisconsin. Recently, ICTR led multiple impactful mid-course corrections enabling our students, staff, and scientists to effectively address health challenges revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on user needs assessments, SWOT analyses, and institute-wide strategic planning we developed an Innovation Scorecard that serves as a roadmap to use continuous improvement to address ongoing challenges in conducting efficient, rigorous, and engaged CTR. Our application addresses 5 impactful Aims aligned with objectives in our Innovation Scorecard, each testing explicit hypotheses. These Aims are: 1) Expand skills, efficacy, and resiliency of the CTR workforce to engage effectively in multidisciplinary approaches to CTR. We test an eco-systems approach to promote trainee resiliency, and propose to enhance academic recognition of clinical research, mentorship, and team science. 2) Use bidirectional population engagement and recruitment approaches to increase representative CTR leading to improved health for all in Wisconsin. We will test whether incorporating innovative stakeholder engagement, dissemination and implementation, and team science approaches improve the fidelity and sustainability of interventions in health systems and communities. 3) Employ intentional, systems-level change strategies to advance a positive environment for all at UW. We test evidence-based interventions to engage a broad representative workforce and support translational teams to engage broad populations in CTR. 4) Support a sustainable informatics ecosystem to transform data to knowledge, enhance integration of research into health care delivery, and promote rigor and reproducibility in CTR. We will provide and support secure data sharing, interoperable systems, disease-focused registries and well-trained informaticians to advance data-driven CTR. 5) Integrate a “concept-to-closure” support model for clinical research engaging UW Health regional and national networks. We integrate support for CTR within UW Health. ICTR’s broad reach, experienced leadership, high-functioning infrastructure, and partnerships will enable us to advance translational science as a rigorous discipline, providing disruptive innovations in CTR.