Changing Research – Improving Health

The purpose of medical research is to improve health. In 2006, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched a ground-breaking initiative, the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs), for medical research nation-wide to better achieve that purpose. Science will be transformed through translational research so that:

• Scientific discoveries reach patients faster
• Communities are engaged in research studies
• A new generation of researchers is prepared for this future

Changing Research: How it Happens

Through the CTSA program, researchers work together in collaborative teams in a way that has not been possible before. Because of advances in each scientific field, research scientists have become more and more separated. There hasn’t been a way to work together and to share the necessary and costly resources that are needed for the most important medical research. The CTSA program puts the pieces of the puzzle back together again. Working together scientists can collaborate, speeding the process of medical science. Major expenses can be shared across these research teams making ground-breaking discoveries achievable. This includes advanced laboratory technology, sophisticated information technology (biomedical informatics), consultation teams for essential research expertise, e.g., biostatistics and regulation, and guidance for community members to take part.

The CTSA program generates new opportunities to advance medical research for many conditions such as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and obesity. By creating a “research home” within medical universities this approach will propel the health of the nation.

To learn more, see Translational Research: Taking Less Time to Improve Your Health, the CTSA national consortium website, and the CTSA Fact Sheet.

For more information:

Go to the Research Center health topic.