COMMUNICATIONS

CTSA PROGRAM UPDATE

June 8, 2018

CTSA PROGRAM UPDATES

CTSA PROGRAM JUNE PI MEETING / CALL

The next CTSA Program PI Meeting/Call is scheduled for June 27. The meeting will include Program updates of interest to the CTSA community.

Registering for the PI Meeting/Calls is easy. Click on this link and complete the brief registration form. Once completed, a confirmation message will be sent to you with a dedicated URL to connect you to the series of calls. You will also have the opportunity to add these calls to your calendar from the confirmation message.

Reminder that if you’d like to suggest topics for these calls, please use the CLIC Suggestion Box and select “PI Meeting Topics.” The Suggestion Box can also be used to suggest topics for the Steering Committee, the CTSA Program Meetings, Consortium Activities or other.

Questions? Contact Erica Rosemond

CLIC UPDATES

UN-MEETING ENCOURAGES OPIOID CRISIS-RELATED DISCUSSIONS & COLLABORATIONS

On Saturday, June 2, over 100 researchers, doctors and public health professionals gathered at the CLIC’s Un-Meeting to discuss how to best address this crisis through translational science and research. Attendees from more than 40 institutions, agencies and companies from across the country brought varied expertise in a wide range of topics: non-pharmacological pain management, implementation science, high-risk youth and other populations, quality of care, clinical trials, telemedicine, mobile health, community engagement, health policy, and primary and integrated care.

Visit CLIC’s website to see the presentations and a recap of the topics discussed.

COMMON METRICS UPDATES

INFORMATICS METRICS UPDATE

How can hubs get ready for the Implementation of the Informatics Metric?

Work is progressing as we move toward implementation of the Informatics Common Metric starting this fall. Based on key feedback from the Informatics Pilot hubs, CLIC is developing a resource to help hubs prepare for the roll-out of this metric by identifying who could and should be on the Informatics Metric Team. CLIC is planning a mid-July dissemination of this resource to hubs to support the hub’s formation of their Informatics Common Metric Teams before implementation begins. Stay tuned

SCORECARD LINK FOR YOUR 2017 CM DATA SUBMISSION

As you work on submitting your 2017 CM data, here is the login link to Scorecard for your ease: Scorecard Account Login.

NEW TO COMMON METRICS?

Please visit our Common Metrics Webpage for an overview on the Common Metrics Initiative, training materials, and metric updates.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE COMMON METRICS INITIATIVE?

Have an idea or suggestion about Common Metrics that you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you!
In addition to submitting comments and questions via the Common Metrics e-mail, you can visit the CLIC website and use the Suggestion Box where you can submit your ideas and suggestions for the Common Metrics Initiative.

Want to remain anonymous? No problem! Filling out the name and email sections of the Suggestion Box is strictly optional. If you’d like the CLIC CM Team to respond to you about your idea or suggestion, we’ll need you to complete those sections so that we may do so.

FREE TRAINING AVAILABLE: CLEAR IMPACT SCORECARD SOFTWARE

Clear Impact is happy to supply the CTSA Programs hubs with free access to the Clear Impact Scorecard certification training. Visit the following link to start the course: Scorecard Certified Administrator Training Link.

Please contact both Lauren@clearimpact.com and Marcais@clearimpact.com for course questions.

CLEAR IMPACT SCORECARD SOFTWARE UPDATE

New updates are en route to your Scorecard, via the release of Scorecard 5.0 by Clear Impact. Here is a snapshot on the features and fixes you will soon enjoy:
• Easier Note Editing – A new text editor makes formatting your notes easier and quicker.
• Faster Object Editing – Making changes to an object (Results, Indicator, “Program,” Performance Measure) no longer requires you to enter the ‘edit’ screen – you can now add data, manage relationships, and edit all object details directly on the (1) Turn the Curve and (2) “Program” page. This access makes editing much faster.
• Faster CSV Imports – Imports are much faster. You will get an instant confirmation that imports are in progress. You can also continue working in the system while imports are processed.
• Painless Scorecard Editing – Instead of having to edit an entire scorecard, you can edit individual sections as you wish. Changes can be made faster and there is less chance for error.
• New Setting: Default Time Period– Available on the Admin->General Settings, this option enables you to set a date that will open by default when entering data for a new measure. You will no longer have to click the ‘+’ button multiple times to get to the correct date.
• New Feature: Measure Definition Field – Indicators and Performance Measures now have a have a definition text box where you can input background or context information about the measure.
Please contact Lauren Chambers with any questions you may have.

Questions? Contact CLIC Common Metrics implementation team via email or by phone 585-276-4817.

DOMAIN TASK FORCE (DTF) UPDATES

The DTF Workgroup Update Packet that was reviewed by the CTSA Program Steering Committee can be viewed on the CLIC Website.

COLLABORATION / ENGAGEMENT DTF

Upcoming Webinars and Opportunities

• Dissemination, Implementation, and Knowledge Transfer Working Group to the DTF presents a webcast on Dissemination and Implementation Science: What is it and why is it critical to Translational Science? The webcast will be on June 19 at 12:00 pm ET. Please feel free to broadcast this widely within your CTSA programs. Click here to learn more and register.

• International Network for the Science of Team Science (INScITS) Nomination Form to fill several Board of Director vacancies. Nominations close on June 22, 2018. Click here to learn more.

• 11TH Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health – Call for abstracts open now through July 24, 2018. Click here to submit an abstract.

Questions about the Collaboration / Engagement Domain Task Force.

INFORMATICS DTF

The Informatics DTF (iDTF) Lead Team has formulated a process to best support and guide the Informatics Community work groups that are currently being set up and developed by the efforts and members of iDTF and CD2H. The Goals of this process include:
• To ensure that these CTSA workgroups and projects have critical mass of participation and adequate support from both CLIC and CD2H
• To ensure that both projects and workgroups are chartered with clear deliverables that are aligned with NCATS priorities
• To avoid overloading finite CTSA informatics capacity.
This process for implementation of these goals were presented during the June 1 iDTF Members’ Meeting and are being presented to the CTSA Program Steering Committee for consideration and approval.

The iDTF has also developed a set of guidelines governing presentations made to the iDTF membership by or on behalf of an external body. These guidelines are as follows:
• Presentation must be of broad interest to the members
• Content must have significant potential impact on achieving key NCATS goals
• Presentations must be educational and not designed to promote commercial interests or products
• Presenter must declare any potential “conflicts of interest” via a slide included in the presentation
• Slides must be provided to the iDTF Leadership for review to confirm compliance with the above criteria
These guidelines were presented to the iDTF members for consideration and approval on June 1.

The Sustainability Informatics Infrastructure working group has official sunsetting effective April 27. Their deliverables have been met and their white paper will be published soon.

Following the iDTF face-to-face meeting, a report out of the discussion group – “Funding CRI and Sustainable Informatics Infrastructure” has resulted in the desire for another sustainability workgroup. The folks are now involved in considering the workgroup focus options. To refresh your memory, you are free to review the slides from that report out here.

If you are interested in joining this discussion, please contact the CLIC iDTF Coordinator for assistance.

Questions about the Informatics Domain Task Force.

UPDATES FROM OTHER CTSA PROGRAM INITIATIVES

ACCRUAL TO CLINICAL TRIALS (ACT) NETWORK

On April 17, the Accrual to Clinical Trials (ACT) Network held its annual spring meeting in Washington, DC. Various themes emerged from the meeting that will help steer network activities throughout the year. Following the ACT Spring Meeting, demonstrations of the tool were provided during the CTSA Program Meeting and a poster was presented on ACT dissemination activities at the Translational Science meeting. Later this month, there will be an ACT breakout session at the June i2b2 tranSMART Harvard Symposium. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with current, new and future ACT sites. For general information on the ACT Network, you can reference our new website.

If you are interested in registering for the ACT monthly newsletter, please sign up here.

TRIAL INNOVATION NETWORK (TIN)

The Trial Innovation Network (TIN) is a collaborative national network that focuses on <strong>operational innovation, excellence</strong> and <strong>collaboration</strong>. Leveraging the expertise and resources of the CTSA Program, the TIN offers a variety of webinars, tools, and resources for investigators and study teams. The TIN continues to accept investigator proposals for multi-center clinical trials and studies. Visit our website to learn more about the proposal process, see upcoming webinars, and search our Recruitment & Retention toolkit. For the latest updates from the TIN, sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Upcoming webinars:
June 20, 2018 1:00 PM ET
MyCap – A Configurable Mobile Application for Patient-Reported Data Collection
Paul Harris, PhD
Register

June 21, 2018 2:00 PM ET
Using ResearchMatch for Recruitment
Loretta Byrne
Register

For information on upcoming TIN events such as webinars and open forums or to propose a future webinar topic, click here.

IRB RELIANCE EXCHANGE (IREx)

IREx Platform Supports Single IRB Studies
Nearly 200 institutions, including 94% of CTSAs, have signed onto the IRB Reliance Exchange (IREx). IREx is a freely available web-based platform funded by the Duke-Vanderbilt Trial Innovation Center that is used to document site engagement and reliance arrangements; capture study-specific local considerations from participating sites; capture and disseminate IRB approval notifications; and facilitate communications throughout the life of a multi-site study. IREx is used by IRBs, coordinating centers and study teams and is currently supporting 34 Trial Innovation Network studies, 29 non-TIN studies, and over 1000 users.

Learn more here.

RECRUITMENT INNOVATION CENTER )RIC)

ResearchMatch (RM) – an online recruitment and education platform that matches people interested in research with investigators throughout the U.S. – is preparing to launch a Spanish version of the website. The tool will help Researchers at participating institutions to connect with and recruit Spanish-speaking volunteers into studies and allow Spanish-speaking volunteers to identify and sign-up for studies. The RM team is actively working with a Spanish Advisory Panel to ensure the translated content is accurate, culturally sensitive, and clear. Spanish RM aims to launch in summer 2018.

Collaboration Webinar: MyCap – A Configurable Mobile Application for Patient-Reported Data Collection by Paul Harris, PhD
June 20, 2018 – 12:00 p.m. CDT
Vanderbilt University Medical Center will be hosting a webinar that will provide an overview of a new mobile application platform, demonstrate study setup, and deployment for an individual project. MyCap allows researchers to rapidly design and deploy secure, patient-centered Smartphone applications. MyCap has the potential to facilitate participant retention, return of value to participants in the form of education, participant feedback, and return of study results (by individual participant or overall final summary report).

Click here to register for the MyCap webinar.

For more information about the MyCap tool click here.

Collaboration Webinar: MyCap – A Configurable Mobile Application for Patient-Reported Data Collection by Paul Harris, PhD
June 20, 2018 – 12:00 p.m. CDT
Vanderbilt University Medical Center will be hosting a webinar that will provide an overview of a new mobile application platform, demonstrate study setup, and deployment for an individual project. MyCap allows researchers to rapidly design and deploy secure, patient-centered Smartphone applications. MyCap has the potential to facilitate participant retention, return of value to participants in the form of education, participant feedback, and return of study results (by individual participant or overall final summary report).

Click here to register for the MyCap webinar.

For more information about the MyCap tool click here.

NATIONAL CENTER FOR DATA TO HEALTH (CD2H)

First Annual CD2H All Hands Meeting
The National Center for Data to Health held its first All Hands Meeting at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore Maryland on May 9 and 10. The meeting brought together more than 75 members of the CD2H team, its External Advisory Board, and NCATS for an engaging, thought provoking, and productive two days.

The meeting kicked off with an overview of the CD2H vision and the process that we will use to engage the community and help accelerate innovation in informatics across the CTSA Program. We reviewed our governance and operational processes and how these contributed to the successful launch of the CD2H workgroups. Talks at the meeting highlighted workgroup progress on their initial body of work, which is intended to be completed within 3-6 months, as well as what they hope to accomplish in the long-term.

Given the distribution of the CD2H team across the country, we sought to take full advantage of face to face time together at the meeting with breakout sessions focused on key areas like data reuse, tool accessibility, and community collaboration. The meeting also featured an interactive brainstorming session aimed at identifying and vetting promising ideas for the first CD2H Dream Challenge. The top 6 ideas were further refined through small group work and will be shared with the CTSA community for feedback in our first newsletter on July 5. The CD2H was thrilled that the EAB was able to actively participate in all of the above activities and was grateful for the valuable insight they provided.

The All Hands Meeting left the CD2H team feeling energized, ready to get to work on next steps, and with valuable new ideas on how to improve projects. Moving forward our top priority will be to put additional governance and infrastructure in place to more fully engage and coordinate with the CTSA community. Please visit our website to learn more about how to get involved with the CD2H. We look forward to working with you!
Meeting materials:
• Agenda with links to all plenary talks and notes for breakouts
• All plenary talks
• Dream Challenge Workshop
• All Hands Meeting Notes
• PDF of the agenda, attendee list, and partial EAB packet

ANNOUNCEMENTS

TRANSITION FROM INCLUSION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO NEW HUMAN SUBJECTS SYSTEM (HSS) AS OF JUNE 9, 2018

As part of NIH efforts to comply with 21st Century Cures requirements to enhance accountability and transparency in NIH clinical research, NIH has developed a new Human Subjects System (HSS), which consolidates human subjects and clinical trial information in once place. HSS will replace the Inclusion Management System (IMS), used for reporting participant sex/gender, race, and ethnicity information. The Inclusion link will no longer appear on the Commons Status page as of June 9, 2018. More information can be found on: NOT-OD-18-179.

Questions? Contact OEPMailbox@mail.nih.gov.

NIH RELEASES STRATEGIC PLAN FOR DATA SCIENCE

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) today released its first ever Strategic Plan for Data Science to capitalize on the opportunities presented by advances in data science. The plan describes NIH’s overarching goals, strategic objectives, and implementation tactics for promoting the modernization of the NIH-funded biomedical data science ecosystem. We are grateful for the input from the community and the public received from the Request for Information, which was incorporated into the final plan.

Over the course of the next year, NIH will begin implementing its strategy, with some elements of the plan already underway. NIH will continue to seek community input during the implementation phase. We know that we share a common interest with you in maximizing the value of data generated through NIH-funded efforts to accelerate the pace of biomedical discoveries and medical breakthroughs for better health outcomes.

NIBIB ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENTS

The purpose of this Notice (NOT-EB-18-017)is to inform potential applicants that the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) intends to re-issue PA-18-426. This administrative supplement is to facilitate collaboration by supporting multidisciplinary research teams comprised of quantitative researchers and clinician-scientists from active CTSA institutions (PAR-15-304, PAR-18-464)

Questions? Contact Zeynep Erim National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Strategies for Enhancing Postdoctoral Career Transitions to Promote Faculty Diversity
(NOT-GM-18-034) National Institute of General Medical Sciences. This RFI seeks input on approaches that will enhance the transitions of productive postdoctoral scientists from diverse backgrounds, including groups underrepresented in biomedical research, into independent faculty positions at research-intensive institutions.

Questions? Contact Alison Gammie, Ph.D.,  Michael Sesma, Ph.D, or Kenneth Gibbs, Ph.D.

COLLABORATIVE INNOVATION AWARDS (CCIAs)

NCATS has issued two notices (NOT-TR-18-023 and NOT-TR-18-024) to change the Key Dates in the Collaborative Innovation Award, Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program (U01) PAR-18-244 and the Limited Competition: Exploratory CTSA Collaborative Innovation Awards (R21) PAR-18-245.
Questions? Contact Philip J. Brooks, Ph.D

MEETINGS & EVENTS

UPCOMING CONSORTIUM EVENTS

CTSA Program hubs can find information about meetings and events on the events page on the CLIC website, this page was created to spread the word about hub-sponsored conferences, activities, and/or items relevant to the CTSA Program and the advancement of translational science. If you would like to showcase an event please fill the event form (login required) on the CLIC website.

Once you host an event, if you would like your presentations uploaded for viewing on the archived CLIC events page please submit a PDF version of your event presentations and we will do so.
Upcoming events are listed below. Please click the Event Name for more information!

Questions? Contact help@clic-ctsa.org

UPCOMING NCATS MEETINGS

*CLIC will post meeting summaries from the S/C calls onto the CLIC-CTSA Program website and continue to circulate monthly CTSA Program newsletters with important project-level updates and consortium activities.

**To add the PI Meeting to your calendar: Please make sure that once you submit the completed registration form, choose “add to calendar” on the Registration Approval page OR in the Confirmation email that you receive, then open and save the downloaded calendar file.

You can find this or any of the past CTSA Program Updates on the CLIC Newsletters page or on the CTSA Program Communications page.