WSU & PHP Announce Clinical Trials Research Alliance (CTRA)

Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State Research Institute and Premier Health Partners announced today the formation of the Wright State University & Premier Health Partners Clinical Trials Research Alliance to increase medical research opportunities for physicians and clinicians and boost access to clinical trials in the Dayton region.

This major public-private initiative partners the Dayton region’s strongest biomedical research institution with the clinical resources of the region’s leading hospital system. Premier Health Partners is making a major investment of $4 million over five years to support the infrastructure of the alliance. It is expected to build a $5 million to $7 million annual clinical research portfolio over five years, roughly doubling the total of what the medical school and Premier have today.

The National Institutes of Health, other federal sources and pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies spent $94 billion on research and development in 2008, according to Center Watch, the leading source of clinical trials information for both clinical research professionals and patients.

The Wright State Research Institute will lead the alliance’s development, providing business infrastructure and administrative support, as well as building a pipeline for new research projects. The administrative support will free doctors and researchers at both Wright State and Premier from much of the extensive paperwork and bureaucracy that can discourage doctors from pursuing clinical research projects, said Ryan Fendley, institute director.

The alliance will be established from existing facilities at Wright State and initially with Miami Valley Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital as the Premier hospitals, but will be available to all PHP hospitals and practices in the future.

Arthur S. Pickoff, M.D., professor and chair of the medical school’s Departments of Community Health and Pediatrics, and assistant dean for clinical research, will direct the alliance.

“We anticipate this will be a game-changer for clinical research in the Dayton region,” Pickoff said. “This research alliance will give the residents of the Dayton region and beyond the opportunity to participate in a large number of cutting-edge clinical trials, which will result in the development of the medical treatments and cures of tomorrow.” Read more.

For more information about clinical trials, see ClinicalTrials.gov.

Translational Research Lecture Series Begins Oct. 27

“Balancing Research Careers” is the theme of the 2011-2012 Translational Research Lecture Series sponsored by the WSU Medical Student Research Club. The first lecture will be held Thursday, Oct. 27, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in Room 120 White Hall. All BSOM faculty and students are invited to attend.

The lecture will be given by three faculty from the Division of Morphological Sciences and Biostatistics in WSU’s Department of Community Health: Richard Sherwood, Ph.D.; Dana Duren, Ph.D.; and Ramzi Nahhas, Ph.D. Their presentation is titled “Tackling Basic And Translational Research: Can You Do It All?”

“Our primary work would be considered basic research across a range of subjects such as craniofacial genetics, bone growth and development, and longitudinal analysis of growth,” Dr. Sherwood says. “We will briefly describe our work and discuss the possibilities, or lack thereof, for moving our findings from the bench to the bedside.”

Dinner will be provided on Oct. 27. Please RSVP to Adam Deardorff (deardorff.2@wright.edu) if you plan to attend.

Related links:

• Dayton Daily News article about Dr. Sherwood’s field work in Nepal
• Research Learning Community homepage
• 2011-2012 Translational Research Lecture Series

Feb. 22 Lecture Surveys Medical Education Research

The next lecture in the 2010-2011 Translational Research Lecture Series is scheduled on Tuesday, Feb. 22, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in Room 120 White Hall. The series is presented by the WSU Medical Student Research Club. All BSOM faculty and students are invited to attend.

The lecture will survey “Medical Education Research at WSU” with a panel of faculty and medical student investigators led by Nicole Borges, P.H.D. (above left), associate professor of community health and assistant dean of medical education research and evaluation. Faculty presenters also include Gary Nieder, Ph.D., professor of neuroscience, cell biology and physiology; and Brenda Roman, M.D., professor and director of medical student education in psychiatry. Student presenters include Micah Prochaska (M4), Heather Rodabaugh (M4), and Adam Deardorff (M.D./Ph.D. student). Download the agenda (MS Word).

Dinner will be provided on Feb. 22. Please RSVP to Adam Deardorff (deardorff.2@wright.edu) if you plan to attend.

“Framing Answerable Research Questions” is the theme of the 2010-2011 Translational Research Lecture Series. Visit the Research Learning Community on MedU for the series schedule and links to videos and related reading for the lectures.

Dec. 2 Translational Research Lecture Explores Year-Out Research Experiences for Med Students

The next lecture in the 2010-2011 Translational Research Lecture Series is scheduled on Thursday, Dec. 2, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in Room 120 White Hall. The series is presented by the WSU Medical Student Research Club. All BSOM faculty and students are invited to attend.

The featured speaker will be Kristine Busse, an M4 student at WSU who spent the past academic year in a year-out research program at the Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center at the University of California-San Francisco. She was sub-investigator in 6 clinical trials in psoriasis and eczema, working under the mentorship of John Koo, M.D., a key opinion leader in the psoriasis field. Busse’s talk will discuss clinical trials as well as the process of putting together a year-out research experience during medical school.

Dinner will be provided on Dec. 2. Please RSVP to Adam Deardorff (deardorff.2@wright.edu) if you plan to attend.

“Framing Answerable Research Questions” is the theme of the 2010-2011 Translational Research Lecture Series. Visit the Research Learning Community on MedU for the series schedule and links to videos and related reading for the lectures.

American Brain Tumor Association Announces Translational Research Funding Opportunities

The American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) is now accepting applications for its 2011 Basic Research Fellowship and Translational Research Grant programs. Applications are due in the ABTA office no later than 5 pm (CST) January 7, 2011 for Fellowships and Translational research projects to begin July 1, 2011.

American Brain Tumor Association Basic Research Fellowships: These two-year training awards support the salaries of young researchers entering the field of brain tumor research. This is often the first award of a researchers’ career, and is coveted honor on an investigator’s curriculum vitae. The experience provides an opportunity in which young, bright, motivated investigators learn from motivating mentors. Basic research fellowships are $80,000 payable over two-years ($35,000 salary support and $5,000 discretionary funds per year). Criteria for selection include the quality of the individual candidate, including their commitment to neuro-oncology; the quality of the training program mentorship; and the proposed research. Instructions and downloadable applications are available at: http://bit.ly/b6myQ2

American Brain Tumor Association Translational Grants: These awards help scientists further develop studies on the cusp of moving from the laboratory into patient testing. These $75,000 one year grants support the collection of the preclinical data researchers need to apply for major funding from other sources, such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) or the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stoke (NINDS). Criteria for funding include the quality and therapeutic potential of the research, the as well as the quality of the laboratory environment and the investigator. Instructions and downloadable applications are available at: http://bit.ly/b6myQ2

The American Brain Tumor Association distributes research funding through five primary programs. In addition to the Basic Research and Translational Research programs, ABTA offers funding through the Discovery Research Grant Program, providing one-year, $50,000 grants for high-risk, high-impact projects deemed to have the potential to change current diagnostic or treatment paradigms for adult and pediatric brain tumor care (the application deadline has passed for 2011); the Medical Student Research Fellowship Program, offering $3,000 grants for ten-to-twelve week summer laboratory experiences; and, various Collaborative funding efforts with professional and other brain tumor organizations.

More information on the American Brain Tumor Association’s Research Awards Program is available at: http://www.abta.org/Research_Progress/36.

Founded in Chicago in 1973, the American Brain Tumor Association was the first national nonprofit organization dedicated solely to brain tumors. Today, the American Brain Tumor Association is a leader in brain tumor research and patient information, education and support. Learn more at http://www.abta.org or 1-800-886-2288.

Invitation to the Central research Forum – Oct. 26

Please join us Tuesday, Oct. 26, when the Office of Research Affairs presents the 2010 Central Research Forum in the WSU Student Union.  Program highlights include:

2:30-3:30 p.m. (Room E156) Practice-Based Research at SOARnet: This session is held in conjunction with the Medical Student Research Club’s Translational Research Lecture Series.

3:30-4:30 p.m. (Room E156) Research Centers of Excellence: This session features our newest research centers of excellence, the  WSU and PHP Neuroscience Institute and the National Center for Medical Readiness.

4:40 p.m. (Room E156) Data Blitz: Twelve presenters will get 2 minutes each (using just one overhead transparency) to tell the audience why they should take a closer look at the presenter’s research during the poster session.

5:00-7:00 p.m. (Apollo Room) Poster Session and  Reception: We have 62 posters, including 10 by medical students, showcasing the range of biomedical, clinical, and medical education research at WSU. See the list of poster presenters (MS Word).  See more CRF program details.

If you have questions about the Central Research Forum, please contact Mark Willis (mark.willis@wright.edu).

Translational Research Lecture Series Begins Sept. 30

“Framing Answerable Research Questions” is the theme of the 2010-2011 Translational Research Lecture Series presented by the WSU Medical Student Research Club. The first lecture is scheduled on Thursday, Sept. 30, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in Room 120 White Hall on the WSU main campus. All BSOM faculty and students are invited to attend.

The faculty speakers will be Timothy Cope, Ph.D. (above left), professor and chair, and Mark Rich, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor, in the WSU Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology. Last year they gave a dynamic talk to the Research Club about building careers based on the scientific method and asking measurable research questions. It inspired the theme for this year’s lecture series, so we have asked them for a repeat performance. You can read more about their neuroscience research collaborations in Vital Signs (PDF).

Dinner will be provided on Sept. 30. Please RSVP to Adam Deardorff (deardorff.2@wright.edu) if you plan to attend.

April 22 Lecture Surveys Practice-Based Research

The Medical Student Research Club invites all BSOM faculty and students to the fifth lecture in its series, “Translational Research: From Bench to Bedside,” on Thursday, April 22, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in Room 101 White Hall (Gandhi Auditorium) on the WSU main campus.

The faculty speakers conduct office-based research through SOARnet, the Southwestern Ohio Area Research Network. They include John Pascoe, M.D., M.P.H.; William Spears, Ph.D.; Miryoung Lee, Ph.D.; Wm. Cameron Chumlea, Ph.D., and Caroline McNicholas, M.A. They will be joined by medical student Jessica Zagory, who has participated in SOARnet research.

SOARnet is a new and growing group of pediatricians and family medicine physicians associated with Wright State University and the Children’s Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio. Its mission is to support its members to design and carry out office-based clinical research of importance and interest to its members, to other primary care providers, and to those involved in formulating health policy. The research network facilitates the formulation of clinical questions and provides support in study design and statistical analysis of data. Read more.

Dinner will be provided on April 22. Please RSVP to Adam Deardorff (deardorff.2@wright.edu) if you plan to attend.

<img class=”alignnone” title=”SOARnet logo” src=”http://researchenterprise.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/soarnet.jpg?w=450&amp;h=171&#8243; alt=”SOARnet logo” width=”450″ height=”171″ />

The <a href=”http://studentre.wordpress.com/research-club/”>Medical Student Research Club</a> will present the fifth lecture in its series, “Translational Research: From Bench to Bedside,” on Thursday, April 22, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in Room 101 White Hall (Gandhi Auditorium) on the WSU main campus.

The faculty speakers conduct office-based research through <a href=”http://www.med.wright.edu/SOARNet/”>SOARnet</a&gt;, the Southwestern Ohio Area Research Network. They include John Pascoe, M.D., M.P.H.; William Spears, Ph.D.; Miryoung Lee, Ph.D.; Wm. Cameron Chumlea, Ph.D.,  and Caroline McNicholas, M.A. They will be joined by medical student Jessica Zagory, who has participated in SOARnet research.

SOARnet is a new and growing group of pediatricians and family medicine physicians associated with Wright State University and the Children’s Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio. Its mission is to support its members to design and carry out office-based clinical research of importance and interest to its members, to other primary care providers, and to those involved in formulating health policy. The research network facilitates the formulation of clinical questions and provides support in study design and statistical analysis of data. <a href=”http://www.med.wright.edu/SOARNet/”>Read more</a>.

Dinner will be provided on April  22. Please RSVP to Adam Deardorff (<a href=”mailto:deardorff.2@wright.edu”>deardorff.2@wright.edu</a>) if you plan to attend.

Wright State and Premier Health Partners Establish New Neuroscience Institute

Updated 022510: Wright State University President David Hopkins announces the new initiative of the Wright State University and Premier Health Partners Neuroscience Institute on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at Beiser Auditorium in Miami Valley Hospital. [Photo by Jim Witmer/Dayton Daily News]

DAYTON – Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine and Miami Valley Hospital announced today the formation of the Wright State University & Premier Health Partners Neuroscience Institute to speed the transfer of research discoveries from bench to bedside, improving the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders such as stroke.

This major public-private initiative partners the Dayton region’s strongest biomedical research institution with the clinical resources of the region’s leading hospital system to create the WSU & PHP Neuroscience Institute. Miami Valley Hospital has made a major investment of $4.35 million over five years to create a new Department of Neurology within the WSU Boonshoft School of Medicine. The investment includes long-term support for clinical neurologists who will form the nucleus for collaboration with the university-based neuroscientists in critical research in stroke and movement disorders. A national search is underway for the founding chair of the new department.

Governor Ted Strickland designated the new institute as one of Ohio’s Centers of Excellence in Biomedicine and Health Care.

The Boonshoft School of Medicine has a talented cadre of NIH-funded neuroscientists, along with excellent core resources and equipment for cutting-edge laboratory research, including microscopic imaging, genomics, proteomics and electrophysiology. A primary focus of their research is nervous system disorders that affect movement. The PHP system has a large and diverse patient base that provides excellent opportunity for high-quality research and clinical trials.

The institute will be the critical centerpiece for conducting neuroscience research, and will promote ways to move the results of that research directly from the laboratory to the bedside, providing outstanding neurological clinical care to the community and creating a clinical and research enterprise that will be pivotal for the region’s economic recovery. Joint research activities and related investments will have direct economic impact on the community, amounting to tens of millions of dollars over the next five years. The emergence of a strong neuroscience institute through this collaboration will be a watershed accomplishment for the Dayton region. Read more.

Institute Home Page | Fact Sheet | FAQ | Economic Impact

(Left) Architectural vision of the proposed Neurological Sciences Research Building at WSU.

Wright State University is in the process of raising funds for a new $22-million state-of-the-art laboratory building within its existing biomedical and engineering research corridor. The new 64,000-square-foot facility will feature sustainable design, interdisciplinary laboratories and shared core resources for more than 100 scientists, physicians, and student researchers. Read more.

Gates Foundation Seeks Proposals For New Approaches To Point-Of-Care Diagnostics

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is now accepting letters of inquiry for a new grant program to develop point-of-care diagnostics for the developing world.

$30 million in new grants will be available through Grand Challenges Diagnostics, a part of the Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative. The program will develop components and technologies that allow assessment of multiple conditions and pathogens at the point-of-care in a variety of settings.

The Gates Foundation intends to fund the development and optimization of novel, accurate, feasible technologies that are low cost, easy to use, functional at high temperatures and humidity, and do not require refrigeration, reagents, water or lab equipment.

Details and application instructions are available at: http://www.grandchallenges.org/diagnostics/Pages/Introduction.aspx.

Letters of inquiry will be accepted online until Feb. 16, 2010. After a review of submitted letters of inquiry, the foundation will invite full grant proposals from selected applicants.