The Institute for Translational Sciences (ITS) is at an exciting juncture. As we continue our work at the forefront of team-based translational science, we are building a future where teams coalesce under a larger organizational structure for greater efficiency, more disciplinary diversity, and enhanced resources focused on improving the health of our biomedical ecosystem.
As home to one of the nation's prestigious Clinical and Translational Science Awards for over 15 years, the ITS drives faster translation of research discoveries into improved health by transforming the way biomedical research is conducted. But for life science institutions to fully meet the health needs of the communities they serve, they must transform their focus from individual accomplishments to a collaborative alliance of equal partners with communities and other members of the local biomedical ecosystem.
We are therefore proud to announce the formation of the Greater Gulf Coast Translational Science Alliance (GGCTSA) to support and improve our region’s vibrant biomedical landscape. The ITS proudly anchors this initiative alongside esteemed partners Houston Methodist, a private, non-profit health system; Texas Southern University (TSU), the second largest Historically Black College and University in the nation with a leading pharmacy and pharmaceutical science program; and the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL), a Hispanic-Serving Institute and leader in training future teachers and mental health practitioners.
Since our initial gathering in September 2022, members of the GGCTSA have launched numerous collaborations that substantially benefit our communities. One example is holding joint community engagement studios and SCI Cafés—events that bring researchers and the public together to discuss specific health and research topics—to create bidirectional communication between investigators and community members from across Houston and Galveston.
Relationships between GGCTSA teams have also garnered new funding, such as a recent NIDDK grant with collaborators at Houston Methodist and UTMB that will explore ethical practices around screening live organ donors. With partner TSU, we are one of four initial sites across the US working to increase the diversity of clinical trials through the Equitable Breakthroughs in Medicine Development program. Another collaboration between UTMB and TSU led to an award from the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity program to use human-centered AI to study cancer disparities.
We also stand to make major impacts on the translational workforce of the future. Just this month, UTMB and Houston Methodist kicked off a new internship program for recent graduates to gain hands-on experience in under-supplied and sometime “hidden” translational careers such as research compliance, research ethics and integrity, and clinical trial coordination. In another unique workforce development effort, UTMB will be an internship site for UHCL digital media studies students who will help us with the forthcoming GGCTSA website.
Looking ahead, we aim to tap into additional avenues of research and funding streams that reflect our partners’ scientific diversity—from environmental science to policy, law, pharmacy, engineering, and business. The potential unleashed by research teams uniting diverse expertise across multiple institutions is immense. Together we will make indelible impacts on our communities, trainees, and investigators.
Stay tuned as we continue this transformative journey together.
Sincerely,
Randy Urban, MD
Vice President and Research Institute Director, Institute for Translational Sciences