Consortium for Translational and Precision Health

The Consortium for Translational and Precision Health (CTPH) will serve as a unique bi-institutional hub for infrastructure, services, community engagement, and workforce development to advance clinical translational science (CTS). Led by Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and the University of Houston (UH), the overall mission of CTPH is to foster research and innovations across the translational spectrum to advance precision health in partnership with local and regional stakeholders. CTSA funding will enrich the CTPH’s ability to launch new initiatives, enhance our existing efforts, and effectively disseminate discoveries and innovations to populations in Houston and the among the CTSA network. Building on our current high-quality programs, we will develop an integrated, adaptable, and sustainable clinical and translational research infrastructure providing superior, accessible resources and services, extending value to all stakeholders. We propose the following overarching aims: Aim 1. Develop, demonstrate, and disseminate new technologies, platforms, and research methods that advance innovations in precision health. We will support precision health initiatives by developing robust platforms to advance translational science and accelerate transformative biomedical, ‘omics, clinical, and population health research. Collaborative, interdisciplinary teams are poised to establish novel lines of research in CTS and precision health, and bolster digital approaches for continuous health screening, monitoring, and tailored interventions. Aim 2. Reach and engage broad populations and across the lifespan to reduce health challenges and improve population health. Our deep commitment to reduce local and regional health challenges will be strengthened through increasing engagement with populations served by the CTSA, incorporating community perspectives in research across the lifespan, and reducing institutional barriers to full participation of community partners in all aspects of the CTPH. Aim 3. Educate, train, and sustain a robust translational workforce to improve the efficiency and generalizability of clinical and translational research and support a pipeline of new researchers. We will build innovative training and career development programs across the translational workforce to drive change, transform science, and significantly improve population health. Aim 4. Create a culture for clinical translational science teams to collaborate and transform translational workflows. Our programs will simplify access to resources, emphasize team science, offer joint enrichment programs, and accelerate workflows through improved efficiency and stakeholder-informed perspectives. These initiatives will be implemented by an experienced leadership team with authority over the relevant administrative structures, which will expand synergies in CTS between the largest University system in Houston with the leading biomedical research institution in Texas.