September 2026 | CTSC Newsletter | | To ensure you're always viewing the entire newsletter, check at the bottom of the email to see if the newsletter has been "clipped" and, if so, click "view entire message". You can also view the full newsletter on the News and Announcements page of our website | | Click on the images below to be directed to more information: | | |
Warm greetings,
The CTSC of Northern Ohio is committed to supporting investigators in using real-world data (RWD) platforms effectively, responsibly, and with a strong focus on scientific rigor and reproducibility. This effort began with TriNetX, a CTSC-supported research platform that provides valuable opportunities for clinical and translational research. The newly released CTSC TriNetX Standard Operating Procedure outlines a process designed to support investigators from project development through dissemination, including early methodological planning, appropriate documentation, and statistical/data science review prior to publication or presentation.
As RWD platforms continue to expand across our partner institutions, the CTSC is exploring how similar practices can be applied to Epic Cosmos and other RWD resources. Our goal is to establish consistent approaches that help investigators maximize these platforms while strengthening transparency, reproducibility, and confidence in research findings. We encourage investigators to engage CTSC statisticians and data scientists early in the research process so that appropriate planning and support can be incorporated from the outset.
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Thank you for helping us celebrate 19 years!
Translational Science Week 2026: Champions in Research brought together investigators, research staff, students, and partners from across Northern Ohio for a week of learning, connection, collaboration, and celebration. We are grateful to all who participated in our webinars, drop-in events, Lunch & Learns, Science Cafe, birthday celebration, and symposium programming throughout the week. Your engagement helped make this year’s Translational Science Week a meaningful celebration of discovery and impact!
| | If you missed any of the featured sessions, we have included replay links below: | | |
Connect, Engage, and Earn Rewards!
The CTSC Passport Program officially launched during Translational Science Week 2026, creating a new way for Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) to explore CTSC resources and earn rewards along the way. By participating in eligible CTSC trainings, workshops, consultations, funding opportunities, and other activities, ESIs can collect points, unlock badge levels, and access rewards that support their research and career development. Accessible by phone or desktop, the program makes it easy to engage, build connections, and move your research journey forward!
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The CTSC is Hiring:
Assistant Director of Research Programs
The CTSC of Northern Ohio is seeking an Assistant Director of Research Programs at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. This role will work with investigators and CTSC leadership to develop and manage research programs, support NIH and NCATS proposal development, oversee publication compliance, and help advance clinical and translational research across the region. Candidates should hold an MD or PhD and have at least five years of related postdoctoral experience in clinical or translational research, grant writing, and program management.
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Call for Papers:
Journal of Clinical and Translational Science
Researchers are invited to submit their work to the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science (JCTS), the official journal of ACTS and CR Forum. JCTS is currently accepting manuscripts for its upcoming thematic issue, “The Qualitative Dimensions of Translational Science,” with a submission deadline of May 31, 2027. Multiple manuscript types are welcome.
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COMING SOON:
NIH COMMIT Challenge: The NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) is launching the COMpetency in Menopause & Integrated Therapy (COMMIT) Challenge, national prize competition with a $2.5 million prize purse designed to identify and reward exemplary menopause‑related curricula across U.S. health education and professional training programs.
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NIDA 2026 “$100,000 Start an SUD Startup” Challenge: The National Institute on Drug Abuse is offering this challenge opportunity for teams with research ideas that could be commercialized as products addressing drug use, misuse, and substance use disorder (SUD). Teams of 3 to 5 individuals may propose concepts that originated in any research field, as long as they apply to SUD-related needs. In Stage 1, up to 12 teams will receive technical expertise and mentoring from NIDA scientific research entrepreneurship experts. In Stage 2, teams that successfully complete the training process will present their startup concept and may receive cash prizes of up to $10,000 each, with a total challenge purse of up to $100,000.
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Model-to-Clinic (M2C) for Precision Medicine with AI: Integrating Imaging with Multimodal Data (PRIMED-AI) (UG3/UH3, Clinical Trial Optional): The National Institutes of Health is offering this funding opportunity (RFA-RM-27-013) to support the development of innovative, reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable AI-based clinical decision support tools that integrate clinical imaging with multimodal health data to improve precision medicine and patient care across a range of health conditions. Cooperative agreements will support the PRIMED-AI Program, with 8 awards anticipated.
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BRAIN Initiative: Theories, Models, and Methods for Analysis of Complex Data: The NIH BRAIN Initiative / National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is seeking applications to develop quantitative models, algorithms, and computational methods to analyze, integrate, and interpret large-scale, complex brain and neuroimaging datasets.
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HEAL Initiative: Interdisciplinary Team Science to Advance Pain Care: The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) / NIH HEAL Initiative has opened a funding mechanism encouraging team science and integrated computational, clinical, and physiological data modeling to develop pain care solutions.
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Congratulations to ATLAS, Cohort 3!
Thank you to the participants of our Advanced Translational Leadership in Academic Science (ATLAS) training program for your outstanding participation and commitment throughout this year's program. As a remarkable group of mid-career investigators, you brought energy, insight, and a true spirit of collaboration to every session. Your engagement helped make ATLAS a vibrant community of team science leaders, and we are excited to see the new partnerships, ideas, and innovations that will grow from your work together. Congratulations on completing the program!
| | ATLAS Cohort 3 member Federico Perez, MD, professor of medicine at the CWRU School of Medicine, was recently featured in Case Western Reserve University’s Hispanic Heritage Month spotlight. In the feature, Dr. Perez reflects on how his Colombian heritage, global perspective, and commitment to connection shape his work in patient care, research, and mentoring. | |  | ATLAS Cohort 2 participant Sarah Koopman Gonzalez, PhD, is leading a new evaluation of the Better Health Pathways HUB in partnership with Better Health Partnership and the Institute for Population and Community Health at Case Western Reserve University. Supported by The Mt. Sinai Health Foundation, the project will examine how community health worker-led social care coordination can improve health outcomes. | | |
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Promising Long COVID Trial Results
BioVie’s Phase 2 ADDRESS-LC trial reported promising topline results for bezisterim in Long COVID patients with high baseline fatigue, cognitive impairment, and post-exertional malaise. While the overall study population did not reach statistical significance, pre-specified subgroup analyses showed meaningful improvement across several neurological symptoms. In the announcement, Grace McComsey, MD, our CTSC PI and a longtime leader in Long COVID research, was quoted calling the results especially encouraging after many negative trials and noting the potential of a well-tolerated oral therapy for this patient population.
Read the full article BioVie's Phase 2 trial
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CTSC Scientific Writing Open Office Hours
Moderator: Roberto Alers-Velazquez, PhD
*No registration required
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CWRU SOM Discovery to Impact Lectureship
Speaker: Harvey F. Lodish, PhD
Event Details
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CTSC Science Cafe:
Integrative Health
Speakers: Samuel Rodgers-Melnick, PhD &
Amanda J. Shallcross, ND, MPH
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CTSC Resources & Services Office Hours
Moderators: Becki Algeri, Katie Gartner, MA, CCRP, CHRC &
Danielle Jones, PhD
*No registration required
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CTSC Epic Cosmos Datathon
MidTown Collaboration Center
| | Click on the images below to be directed to more information from the CTSC and our colleagues: | | | |
ACTS Membership for Community Members
CTSC community partners are eligible to become members of the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS). Community members are able to access ACTS' member benefits, including:
- Discounted registration to the annual Translational Science meeting
- Opportunities to participate in Special Interest Groups and Committees
- Access to the ACTS community platform website, Tradewing
- And more!
To join, community members can create an account on the ACTS website and join under Case Western Reserve University.
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