History

The initial commitment to clinical and translational research was demonstrated in the 2006-07 strategic planning process at the WVU Health Sciences Center. Clinical and translational research was identified as a top priority due to the significant health disparities of West Virginians/Appalachians. This process led to two specific recommendations that were provided to the Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean of the School of Medicine and that began the transformational process. The first recommendation directed the HSC to establish an organizational and management structure, with appropriate governance authority, such that faculty and financial investment could be made to initiate the translational research enterprise. The additional recommendations included: principles upon which resources should invested in core facilities for clinical and translational research; recruitment and retention strategies for magnet faculty recruitments; ideas for the development of new graduate training programs in clinical and translational research; and to provide dedicated space for clinical and translational research.

The recommendations charted our institutional direction and investment priorities for clinical and translational research, and importantly, HSC has not wavered from its investment. Over the past several years various specific initiatives have been implemented as a direct result of these recommendations. A primary, and critical, initiative was the establishment of the West Virginia Clinical & Translational Science Institute (WVCTSI) in 2008. The WVCTSI is administratively housed within the HSC with responsibilities that extend to all clinical campuses of the HSC and serves as the coordinating entity for all clinical and translational scientists throughout the state. The WVCTSI is fully operational and is housed in newly renovated office suite located in the HSC in Morgantown. This space serves as the "store front" to the WVCTSI. This space also includes a conference room that is used to host WVCTSI committee and investigator meetings. This room is equipped with the latest technology so partners can participate in meetings via secured video conferencing from their remote locations.

Within the WVCTSI member organizations represent the major academic institutions and academic health systems across the state. All health professional disciplines are represented within the WVCTSI. The two largest academic health systems are members - West Virginia United Health System (WVUHS) (which is the parent health care corporation to HSC's Ruby Memorial Hospital) and the Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) which is the major teaching hospital system for HSC Charleston Campus. Establishment of the WVCTSI has encouraged these institutions to work together in the best interest of West Virginians/Appalachians. Each of the organizations contributes to the WVCTSI in their own unique way, creating synergies where none had previously existed.

Timeline

The NIH Roadmap for Medical Research was launched in September, 2004, to address roadblocks to research and to transform the way biomedical research is conducted.

Three broad initiatives will be stimulated with these funds:

1. New Pathways to Discovery
2. Research Teams of the Future
3. Re-engineering the Clinical Research Enterprise

Through the NIH Roadmap, NIH aims to accelerate the pace of discovery and speed the application of new knowledge to the development of new prevention strategies, new diagnostics and new treatments, and, ultimately, to the transfer these innovations to health care providers, and the public.
 

Reference: NIH Common Fund, NIH Roadmap for Medical Research