Research Portfolio Research Articles

Bioactive Wound Dressings for the Management of Chronic Non Healing Ulcers (CNHU) – A Review of Clinical and Translational Studies

Chronic non healing ulcers (CNHU) can be designated as a silent pandemic affecting a large segment of the world population. It is estimated that 6% of the global population are afflicted by chronic wounds. The International Diabetes Federation predicts that a lower limb is amputated every 30 seconds, globally. Moreover, recently the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT) has enlisted wounds as a distinct disease category. Tremendous global health burden associated with CNHU warrants a more holistic and integrated material systems for wound management. Recent advancements in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have led to the emergence of advanced bioactive dressings capable of re-correcting the course in non-healing wounds. In that regard, the mainstay of this comprehensive review focuses on the vast array of emerging bioactive dressings under clinical evaluation, or in regular clinical use. These include cellular and acellular matrix products such as dermal substitutes, amnion grafts, 3D bioprinted constructs and newer bioactive dressings under trial. This review strives to serve as a reference point for the wound care practitioners with an up-to-date understanding of the prevalent bioactive dressings and disruptive technology platforms with a major data based clinical trial findings, their material science and efficacy for incorporation in the chronic wound management regime.

The Scientometric Measurement of Interdisciplinarity and Diversity in Research Portfolios of Chinese Universities

Purpose: “Interdisciplinarity” is a hot topic in science- and technology-policy. However, the concept of “Interdisciplinarity” is both abstract and complex, and therefore difficult to measure using a single indicator. A variety of measures for diversity and interdisciplinarity have been proposed in the literature. Can one rank institutions in terms of their (inter )disciplinary diversity? Design/methodology/approach: We developed a routine (interd_vb.exe ) which outputs for any data matrix the values of the advanced diversity diversity indicators Rao-Stirling (RS) diversity and DIV*, as well as standard measures of diversity such as the Gini coefficient, the Shannon entropy, and the Simpson Index. As an empirical example, we compare the research portfolios of 42 “Double First-Class” Chinese universities in terms of Web-of-Science Subject Categories (WCs). Findings: The empirical results suggest that DIV* provides results which are in line with intuitive impressions more than RS, particularly when the results are based on sample-dependent disparity measures. Diversity values based on a global disparity matrix are more consistent than the results based on a local map. Research limitations: “Interdisciplinarity” can be operationalized as bibliographic coupling among (sets of) documents with references to disciplines. Diversity at the institutional level, however, may also indicate comprehensiveness. Different from impact (e.g., citation), diversity and interdisciplinarity are context-specific and thus provide a different (that is, second) dimension to the evaluation. Policy or practical implications: Operationalization and quantification force the analyst to make one’s choices and options clear. Although the equations of diversity indicators are often mathematically transparent, the specification in terms of computer code helps the analyst to further precision in decisions. Furthermore, our empirical results indicate that universities do not tend to isomorphism in this second dimension. Although diversity is not necessarily a goal of universities, a high value of diversity may support potential policies of interdisciplinarity at the university level. Originality/value: We introduce a non-commercial application in the public domain enabling researchers and policy analysts to measure “diversity” and “interdisciplinarity” using the various indicators as encompassing as possible for any document set or network structure (e.g., a network of co-authors). Insofar as we know, such a professional computing tool to evaluate data sets using diversity indicators has not yet been made available online.

Exploring new opportunities through collaboration within and beyond sectoral systems of innovation in thefourthindustrial revolution

AbstractThis article investigates how a leading Chinese multinational enterprise in a core sector of the fourth industrial revolution manages research collaborations within and beyond its sectoral systems of innovation to create novel innovations and push the technological frontier of the industry. We find the firm expanded its technology boundaries through collaborations, particularly multidisciplinary collaborations in both core and noncore technological areas of the industry to establish and maintain its leadership in this dynamic sector. High disciplinary diversity in the company’s collaborative research portfolio is positively associated with the novelty of its innovation outputs. Promising noncore technologies have been integrated into its production through collaborative research, thus promoting technological convergence at both the firm and the sectoral levels. As a result, the boundary of the industry is expanded.

Blueprint for cancer research: Critical gaps and opportunities

We are experiencing a revolution in cancer. Advances in screening, targeted and immune therapies, big data, computational methodologies, and significant new knowledge of cancer biology are transforming the ways in which we prevent, detect, diagnose, treat, and survive cancer. These advances are enabling durable progress in the goal to achieve personalized cancer care. Despite these gains, more work is needed to develop better tools and strategies to limit cancer as a major health concern. One persistent gap is the inconsistent coordination among researchers and caregivers to implement evidence-based programs that rely on a fuller understanding of the molecular, cellular, and systems biology mechanisms underpinning different types of cancer. Here, the authors integrate conversations with over 90 leading cancer experts to highlight current challenges, encourage a robust and diverse national research portfolio, and capture timely opportunities to advance evidence-based approaches for all patients with cancer and for all communities.

The Pediatric Neurology 2020 Research Workforce Survey: Optimism in a Time of Challenge

BackgroundThe past decades have seen a transformational shift in the understanding and treatment for neurological diseases affecting infants and children. These advances have been driven in part by the pediatric neurology physician-scientist workforce and its efforts. However, pediatric neurology research faces substantial challenges from internal and external forces including work-life balance demands, COVID-19 pandemic effects, and research funding. Understanding the impact of these challenges on the perceptions, planning, and careers of pediatric neurology physician-scientists is needed to guide the research mission. MethodsOur objective was to survey the research challenges, goals, and priorities of pediatric neurologists. In 2020 we conducted a cross-sectional, 28-question survey emailed to 1,775 members of the Child Neurology Society. ResultsOne hundred fifty-one individuals responded to the survey. Most respondents were grant investigators (52%) and conducted clinical research (69%). Research areas included epilepsy (23%), neurodevelopmental and autism (16%), neurocritical care and stroke (11%), neurogenetics and neurometabolics (9%), neonatal neurology (8%), and others. The most common funding source was the National Institutes of Health (37%). Shared major research concerns were funding, utilization of remote technology, overcoming disparities, natural history and multicenter studies, global neurology, and diversification of the research portfolio. Commitment to continuing and increasing research efforts was evident. ConclusionsOur survey demonstrates obstacles for physician-scientist researchers in pediatric neurology, but it also shows optimism about continued opportunity. Creative approaches to address challenges will benefit the research mission, maximize the current and future pool of researchers, and help improve the lives of children with neurological disorders.

Genetically-modified cell lines: categorisation and considerations for characterisation.

Stem Cell Research is pleased to introduce into its publication portfolio a new article type: a template-driven short report on the generation of a novel Genetically Modified Cell Line. This resource type is typically derived from human pluripotent stem cell lines via the introduction of nucleases and/or foreign genetic material leading to stable genomic alterations, maintained in a single cell-derived clonal cell line. Interest in, and demand for, genetically modified cell lines has grown exponentially in the last few years. This overview provides a brief introduction to this incredibly versatile lab resource and marks the beginning of a new and exciting addition to the publication portfolio of Stem Cell Research. A dramatic increase in the accessibility of the human genome in the last decade has given a long-anticipated boost to advanced biomedical studies in human in vitro systems. Pluripotent stem cells represent a particularly attractive gateway into this line of experimentation due to their unique suitability for the isolation of clonal genetically modified cell lines (GMCLs), and the ability to be differentiated into essentially any cell type upon the lines' virtually limitless expansion.

Microplastic Exposure by Razor Clam Recreational Harvester-Consumers Along a Sparsely Populated Coastline

Microplastics (MPs) are anthropogenic contaminants found in coastal and marine environments worldwide. Pacific razor clams (Siliqua patula), important for local indigenous culture, economy, gastronomy and food security along the United States West Coast, are subjected to myriad environmental stressors including predation, storm events, disease, toxins, and MPs. This study aimed to determine MP burdens in Olympic Coast, Washington Pacific razor clams and estimate annual MP exposure of recreational razor clam harvester-consumers from eating this species. We quantified suspected MP burdens in Pacific razor clams collected from eight tribal, recreational, and commercial harvest areas on the Olympic Coast in April 2018. We administered questionnaires to 107 recreational razor clam harvesters during the same timeframe to determine consumption patterns, preparation styles, knowledge and concerns about MPs, and demographics. Razor clams containing suspected MPs, primarily microfibers, were found at all eight sites. Average suspected MP burden differed by sample type (whole = 6.75 ± 0.60, gut-tissue = 7.88 ± 0.71, non-gut tissue = 4.96 ± 0.56, and cleaned samples = 3.44 ± 0.25). FTIR analyses of a random subset of microfiber-type MPs in whole and cleaned clams indicated material types of polyethylene terephthalate, cellulose acetate, cellophane, polyester, nylon, and cellulose. The average number of razor clams consumed per meal by Olympic Coast recreational razor clam harvesters was 4.27 ± 0.27, which varied by gender and ethnicity, but not income or age. Harvesters ate 0–209 meals/year of razor clams (16.2% harvested but did not eat razor clams), and most respondents (88.3%) fully cleaned razor clams before consuming them. Annual suspected MP exposure for razor clam harvester-consumers was 60–3,070 for cleaned and 120–6,020 for whole clams. Our findings suggest Olympic Coast recreational razor clam harvester-consumers are exposed to low levels of MPs from eating razor clams. MP exposure can be reduced by roughly 50% if clams are cleaned before consumption. Our work serves as an important reference in the growing portfolio of Pacific Northwest microplastic research, to inform future MP attenuation recommendations and development of human health standards for this type of pollution.

Sustaining Independent Careers in Vision Research: Demographics and Success in Second R01 Attainment Among Clinician–Scientists from 1985 to 2019

PurposeTo evaluate the success of ophthalmology and optometry clinician–scientists in obtaining a second R01 (renewal or new) and factors associated with this success, including gender, clinical specialty, degree, institution, and bench versus non-bench research.MethodsFirst-time National Eye Institute (NEI) R01 awardee data from 1985 to 2014 (N = 234) were analyzed to calculate second R01 success rates. Only R01 awards to ophthalmology or optometry clinician–scientists were included. Demographic data were obtained from clinicians with first-time NEI R01 funding spanning from 1962 to 2019 (N = 386). We obtained information regarding time span of the first R01, year of second R01, institution, and project title on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool, Expenditures and Results (RePORTER) database, and additional measures of gender, clinical specialty, and degree by performing Internet searches.ResultsOverall, from 1985 to 2014, 62.8% of ophthalmology or optometry clinician–scientists were awarded a second R01; at 5 years after receipt of the first R01 (the typical length of an R01), only 3.9% received their second R01. None of the factors examined (temporal cohort, gender, clinical specialty, degree, institution, or bench vs. non-bench research) was significantly associated with successful attainment of a second R01.ConclusionsWe found an overall success rate of 62.8% for receiving a second R01, but 5 years after the first R01 an attainment rate for a second R01 of only ∼4%.Translational RelevanceOur study provides insight on significant leaks in the clinician–scientist pipeline and raises questions of how stakeholders should support this important group of individuals at the intersection of clinical medicine and biomedical research.

A detailed open access model of the PubMed literature

Portfolio analysis is a fundamental practice of organizational leadership and is a necessary precursor of strategic planning. Successful application requires a highly detailed model of research options. We have constructed a model, the first of its kind, that accurately characterizes these options for the biomedical literature. The model comprises over 18 million PubMed documents from 1996–2019. Document relatedness was measured using a hybrid citation analysis + text similarity approach. The resulting 606.6 million document-to-document links were used to create 28,743 document clusters and an associated visual map. Clusters are characterized using metadata (e.g., phrases, MeSH) and over 20 indicators (e.g., funding, patent activity). The map and cluster-level data are embedded in Tableau to provide an interactive model enabling in-depth exploration of a research portfolio. Two example usage cases are provided, one to identify specific research opportunities related to coronavirus, and the second to identify research strengths of a large cohort of African American and Native American researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School.

Using the NIH Research, Condition and Disease Categorization Database for research advocacy: Schizophrenia research at NIMH as an example.

In 2008 the National Institutes of Health established the Research, Condition and Disease Categorization Database (RCDC) that reports the amount spent by NIH institutes for each disease. Its goal is to allow the public "to know how the NIH spends their tax dollars," but it has been little used. The RCDC for 2018 was used to assess 428 schizophrenia-related research projects funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. Three senior psychiatrists independently rated each on its likelihood ("likely", "possible", "very unlikely") of improving the symptoms and/or quality of life for individuals with schizophrenia within 20 years. At least one reviewer rated 386 (90%), and all three reviewers rated 302 (71%), of the research projects as very unlikely to provide clinical improvement within 20 years. Reviewer agreement for the "very unlikely" category was good; for the "possible" category was intermediate; and for the "likely" category was poor. At least one reviewer rated 30 (7%) of the research projects as likely to provide clinical improvement within 20 years. The cost of the 30 projects was 5.5% of the total NIMH schizophrenia-related portfolio or 0.6% of the total NIMH budget. Study results confirm previous 2016 criticisms that the NIMH schizophrenia-related research portfolio disproportionately underfunds clinical research that might help people currently affected. Although the results are preliminary, since the RCDC database has not previously been used in this manner and because of the subjective nature of the assessment, the database would appear to be a useful tool for disease advocates who wish to ascertain how NIH spends its public funds.

Gender distribution beyond coarse measurements

UiT The Arctic University of Norway has built a strong tradition of promoting gender balance within the institution. After decades of research and systematic measures, the university has increased the share of women in professor positions from 9% in 2000 to almost 40% in 2020. Today, UiT leads the national ranking in that category, being the university with highest representation of women in professor positions among the comprehensive Higher Education institutions in Norway. While this is a great achievement for the institution, Prestige Project calls, in this report, for a cautious interpretation of these results. While almost 40% of women hold professor positions at the university level, great disparities remain within and across knowledge fields and disciplines. A more nuanced view on the data shows that as of January 2020, 82% of the professor positions in the STEM fields at UiT were still held by men (NT and IVT Faculties combined). In addition, the overrepresentation of women in the fields commonly associated with female activities such as social sciences, care, and education have inflated the overall results for the better.
 This report argues that the measurements of proportion of women and men in professor positions at the university level is a limited tool for a meaningful monitoring of gender balance in these positions at the university. This is because this metric does not allow for the monitoring of disparities within and across the different fields of knowledge and disciplines constituting the broad educational and research portfolio of the institution, neither for evaluating the effects of interventions at the units’ level. These limitations show that there is a need for more precise indicators for enabling the monitoring and evaluation of significant progress/deterioration in gender balance. In this perspective, a more precise metric can better serve as guidance for the generation of effective and more gender-aware management practices at the institution. Prestige Project proposes in this report an alternative metric that intends to better respond to this need: the scatterplot for gender balance in professor positions at UiT.

Performance assessment of the use of information technology in health management: a systematic review of the literature on the topic

Information Technology (IT) has become fundamental in the provision of healthcare services, encompassing the entire gamut of aspects involved in the area. For this reason, IT can make a significant contribution to the performance of health organizations. There is a knowledge gap about how to introduce and implement improvements in these technologies, one of the reasons cited being the lack of studies on the topic of Evaluation of the Performance of Information Technology in health. The objective of this work is to contribute to the dissemination of knowledge on the subject, by conducting a systematic review using Proknow-C (Knowledge Development Process-Constructivist). By means of the analysis of production metrics, it was seen how the studies comprised in the Bibliographical Portfolio of research represent the area of knowledge investigated. Based on a systematic analysis of the content of these publications, it was possible to ascertain the knowledge gaps still existing in the area. As a limitation of the study, the constructivist nature of Proknow-C is the main issue and, in the suggestions for future research, it is recommended that, based on the analysis performed, the knowledge gaps identified be filled.

Methods Development and Modeling Research: Contributions to Advancing TRS and Informing Regulations

The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) funds a wide range of research studies. Methods development and modeling research (MDMR) are 2 areas of interest, as they can help advance tobacco regulatory science (TRS) by fostering data synthesis and exploration of complex relationships. Our analyses of the CTP portfolio found that 13% of publications focused on MDMR, and the most commonly addressed CTP priority research domains were knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, and toxicity and carcinogenicity. MDMR publications were cited by 1,186 publications, 5 FDA proposed rules and guidance documents, and 3 dockets. MDMR publications are characterized as foundational research and help build the evidence base that informs policy. While MDMR represents a small portion of the CTP research portfolio, they have made important contributions to advancing TRS and informing regulatory actions.

Improving mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in humanitarian settings: reflections on research funded through R2HC

Major knowledge gaps remain concerning the most effective ways to address mental health and psychosocial needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises. The Research for Health in Humanitarian Crisis (R2HC) program aims to strengthen humanitarian health practice and policy through research. As a significant portion of R2HC’s research has focused on mental health and psychosocial support interventions, the program has been interested in strengthening a community of practice in this field. Following a meeting between grantees, we set out to provide an overview of the R2HC portfolio, and draw lessons learned. In this paper, we discuss the mental health and psychosocial support-focused research projects funded by R2HC; review the implications of initial findings from this research portfolio; and highlight four remaining knowledge gaps in this field. Between 2014 and 2019, R2HC funded 18 academic-practitioner partnerships focused on mental health and psychosocial support, comprising 38% of the overall portfolio (18 of 48 projects) at a value of approximately 7.2 million GBP. All projects have focused on evaluating the impact of interventions. In line with consensus-based recommendations to consider a wide range of mental health and psychosocial needs in humanitarian settings, research projects have evaluated diverse interventions. Findings so far have both challenged and confirmed widely-held assumptions about the effectiveness of mental health and psychosocial interventions in humanitarian settings. They point to the importance of building effective, sustained, and diverse partnerships between scholars, humanitarian practitioners, and funders, to ensure long-term program improvements and appropriate evidence-informed decision making. Further research needs to fill knowledge gaps regarding how to: scale-up interventions that have been found to be effective (e.g., questions related to integration across sectors, adaptation of interventions across different contexts, and optimal care systems); address neglected mental health conditions and populations (e.g., elderly, people with disabilities, sexual minorities, people with severe, pre-existing mental disorders); build on available local resources and supports (e.g., how to build on traditional, religious healing and community-wide social support practices); and ensure equity, quality, fidelity, and sustainability for interventions in real-world contexts (e.g., answering questions about how interventions from controlled studies can be transferred to more representative humanitarian contexts).

A risk–benefit framework for human research during the COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a profound impact on the academic research enterprise. Over the span of just a few weeks in March 2020, most large U.S. research institutions closed the majority of their laboratories, studios, and offices, suspended travel and fieldwork, and paused the majority of human research, resulting in the halt of more than 80% of all on-site research activity (1). After months of limited operations, laboratory- and field-based research in the basic and natural sciences were among the first activities to resume. These activities presented relatively low risk for transmission with implementation of proper control measures such as face coverings, health screens, and social distancing. Performing human research during a global pandemic raises new ethical and practical challenges on a scale never before seen. To safely and ethically restart more of the human research portfolio, institutions must develop guiding principles and an explicit plan for managing human research during the pandemic. Image credit: Carey Lumeng (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI). Performing human research during a global pandemic, however, raises new ethical and practical challenges on a scale never before seen. Across the clinical, social, and behavioral sciences, human research can require close contact between researchers and participants, over variable observational periods, and across a variety of locations (e.g., clinics, schools, prisons). Therefore, research with human participants has been slower to resume given the risks associated with potential direct and/or airborne transmission between and among researchers and participants. Indeed, early evidence suggests that research disciplines that rely on face-to-face human contact are among the disciplines that have seen the steepest drop in productivity during the pandemic (2), despite the fact that human research constitutes a significant fraction of the research enterprise. Not all human research paused as stay-at-home orders were implemented across the United States. … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: stroh{at}med.umich.edu or nwigg{at}umich.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1

Cellular agriculture in the UK: a review.

This review details the core activity in cellular agriculture conducted in the UK at the end of 2019, based upon a literature review by, and community contacts of the authors. Cellular agriculture is an emergent field in which agricultural products-most typically animal-derived agricultural products-are produced through processes operating at the cellular level, as opposed to (typically farm-based) processes operating at the whole organism level. Figurehead example technologies include meat, leather and milk products manufactured from a cellular level. Cellular agriculture can be divided into two forms: 'tissue-engineering based cellular agriculture' and 'fermentation-based cellular agriculture'. Products under development in this category are typically valued for their environmental, ethical, and sometimes health and safety advantages over the animal-derived versions. There are university laboratories actively pursuing research on meat products through cellular agriculture at the universities of Bath, Newcastle, Aberystwyth, and Aston University in Birmingham. A cellular agriculture approach to producing leather is being pursued at the University of Manchester, and work seeking to produce a palm oil substitute is being conducted at the University of Bath. The UK cellular agriculture companies working in the meat space are Higher Steaks, Cellular Agriculture Ltd, CellulaRevolution, Multus Media and Biomimetic Solutions. UK private investors include CPT Capital, Agronomics Ltd, Atomico, Backed VCs, and Breakoff Capital. The UK also has a strong portfolio of social science research into diverse aspects of cellular agriculture, with at least ten separate projects being pursued over the previous decade. Three analyses of the environmental impact of potential cellular agriculture systems have been conducted in the UK. The first dedicated third-sector group in this sector in the UK is Cultivate (who produced this report) followed by Cellular Agriculture UK. International groups New Harvest and the Good Food Institute also have a UK presence.

Gender disparities among United States academic pediatric ophthalmologists: an analysis of publication productivity, academic rank, and NIH funding

To investigate gender disparitie among pediatric ophthalmologists in academic rank, publication productivity, and National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. In this cross-sectional analysis of pediatric ophthalmologists at 113 US academic programs, data on gender, residency graduation year, and academic rank were obtained from institutional websites between January 2019 and March 2019. The Scopus database was used to calculate h-indices and m-quotients. The NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool was used to determine NIH funding. We identified 389 pediatric ophthalmologists: 194 women (49.9%) and 195 men (50.1%). A binomial logistic regression model, which included career length as an independent variable, showed proportions of women to men were similar across all academic ranks (assistant professor, 64.4% vs 46.2% [P=0.738]; associate professor, 21.7% vs 19.0% [P=0.357]; full professor, 13.9 vs 34.9% [P=0.119]). Women had a lower median h-index (5.0 vs 8.0 [P=0.008]) and a shorter median career duration (12.5 vs 25.0years [P<0.001]), but a similar median m-quotient (0.5 vs. 0.5; P=0.525). Among pediatric ophthalmologists who received NIH funding (20 women vs. 27 men; P=0.826), the overall median grant-funding total for women was $804K (interquartile range (IQR) 5.0M, mean $3.8M) compared to men, $2.2M (IQR, 4.0M; mean, $3.7M; P=0.328). The shorter career duration for women likely contributes to the difference in overall h-indices between genders, as m-quotients were similar. The m-quotient should be used over the h-index when comparing academic productivity across genders when disparities in career length exist.

UK Stem Cell Bank.

Established in 2003, the UK Stem Cell Bank (UKSCB) facilitates the use and sharing of quality controlled stem cell lines to support scientific research and clinical development of stem cell therapies. With its state-of-the-art facilities, highly trained staff, and a portfolio of available research and EUTCD-grade lines and reference reagents under development, the UKSCB is well positioned to support the cell-based therapy field.

Academic achievement and gender among adult critical care program directors.

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) program director (PD) qualifications includes scholarly activity with demonstrated academic productivity and dissemination. Our hypothesis: academic productivity among adult critical care medicine (CCM) fellowship PDs is affected by gender with women having lower productivity. PDs in 39 institutions with CCM fellowships in anesthesiology, surgery, and pulmonary medicine were analyzed using data from ACGME website, PubMed, and NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools. Primary outcomes were total publications and h-index. Secondary outcomes included NIH funding and past five year publications. Independent variables and covariates included gender, academic rank, year appointed as program director, years certified in CCM, and specialty. PDs who were women had fewer total publications (median: 13 vs: 20, p=0.030), past 5years publications (median: 6 vs median: 9; p=0.025), and less NIH funding (12% vs 32%; p=0.046) compared to men. In exploratory analyses stratified by rank, assistant professor ranked women had fewer total (p=0.027) and recent publications (p=0.031) compared to men. Women who were PDs had fewer publications and less NIH funding compared to men with differences in publications more prominent in early career faculty.

IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network for Underserved and Rural Communities.

The National Institutes of Health's Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program aims to study high-priority and high-impact pediatric conditions. This broad-based health initiative is unique in the National Institutes of Health research portfolio and involves 2 research components: (1) a large group of established centers with pediatric cohorts combining data to support longitudinal studies (ECHO cohorts) and (2) pediatric trials program for institutions within Institutional Development Awards states, known as the ECHO Institutional Development Awards States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ISPCTN). In the current presentation, we provide a broad overview of the ISPCTN and, particularly, its importance in enhancing clinical trials capabilities of pediatrician scientists through the support of research infrastructure, while at the same time implementing clinical trials that inform future health care for children. The ISPCTN research mission is aligned with the health priority conditions emphasized in the ECHO program, with a commitment to bringing state-of-the-science trials to children residing in underserved and rural communities. ISPCTN site infrastructure is critical to successful trial implementation and includes research training for pediatric faculty and coordinators. Network sites exist in settings that have historically had limited National Institutes of Health funding success and lacked pediatric research infrastructure, with the initial funding directed to considerable efforts in professional development, implementation of regulatory procedures, and engagement of communities and families. The Network has made considerable headway with these objectives, opening two large research studies during its initial 18 months as well as producing findings that serve as markers of success that will optimize sustainability.