February 2025 | 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.

From Research to Real Life Podcast

Episode 5 | Relationship Based Recruitment

In this episode, our host, Jerry Tribout, Research Participant Recruitment Manager for the CTSC, sits down with Erika Trapl, MD, Director of the Prevention Research Center for Healthy Neighborhoods and Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. Jerry and Erika will discuss a critical aspect of clinical research, recruitment. They will focus on strategies for building trust and ensuring that recruitment efforts are effective and inclusive.

Subscribe and listen to the podcast on our website or on any of these platforms:

Or, watch and subscribe to the video podcast on YouTube!

From Research to Real Life is dedicated to providing resources, stories, conversations, and inspiration to researchers and the community to help advance medicine, health equity and move your work from research to real life.

Meet the CTSC Team |

Sue Marasco, PhD,

Assistant Director of Research Programs

and Proposal Development,

Clinical and Translational

Science Collaborative of Northern Ohio

Sue Marasco, PhD loves her job. As Assistant Director of Research Programs and Proposal Development, she describes how her meetings start with an investigator telling her how they want to cure a chronic disease, ease pain without drugs, or remove barriers to the world-class healthcare systems of Northern Ohio. As a career program developer, Sue likes to find better ways to get communities what they need and remove barriers to solutions. She has used her interdisciplinary PhD from Vanderbilt to understand the community and how barriers develop around progress and change. Sue also likes to work on making logical connections between organizations, individuals, and institutions that have natural synergy. Her interests serve the CTSC’s goal of bringing translational science to public health innovation. She is also excited to connect larger NCATS goals to local projects: helping with proposals that promise more treatments for all people more quickly is exactly what Sue wants to do.

Outside of her job, Sue is deepening her study of community culture through bioethics and is currently a master’s student in the Department of Bioethics and Medical Humanities at Case Medical School. She likes to travel widely, including camping and canoeing. She and her husband, Paul, have a college-age daughter in her junior year of a construction engineering degree.

Fun Fact: Sue has finally cultivated cranberries in her garden, but has yet to successfully grow artichokes.

CTSC of Northern Ohio Hosts First Ever Epic Cosmos Datathon

The inaugural Epic Cosmos Datathon, hosted by the Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC) of Northern Ohio, was held on December 7, 2024. It brought together over 100 researchers and clinicians from CTSC partner institutions to collaborate on data science projects. The event aimed to raise awareness of Epic Cosmos, a comprehensive electronic health record database available to CTSC members. Teams were randomly assigned to encourage cross-institution networking and tasked with analyzing Epic Cosmos data to answer a research question. At the event’s conclusion, teams presented their findings, and winners were selected by participant vote. The planning committee, which included representatives from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth, and University Hospitals, worked alongside over a dozen Epic representatives.

Yasir Tarabichi, MD, MSCR, Chief Health AI Officer at MetroHealth, commented, “I loved seeing teams of individuals from several different organizations meeting for the first time, then quickly storming and norming to produce top-notch research questions and queries. Cosmos ended up being a great catalyst for a unique CTSC networking event that we are committing to reproducing and evolving annually!” The event was celebrated as a success and will be held annually moving forward, providing a platform for continued collaboration and progress in health informatics research.The event was celebrated as a success and will be held annually moving forward, providing a platform for continued collaboration and progress in health informatics research.

CTSC Core Services: Accelerating Research with Expert Support and Advanced Facilities

The Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC) of Case Western Reserve University offers a Core Utilization Pilot Award Program to help investigators access specialized core facilities across our partner institutions. This program aims to support the collection of preliminary data that can lead to extramural-funded grants and peer-reviewed publications, leveraging advanced technologies and expert resources available at these facilities.

Many researchers are familiar with some CTSC services, but few know the full range of core services available. These include:

UH Mobile Research Unit (MRU) - A fully equipped mobile clinic and lab for rent by investigators. The MRU increases access to clinical research, enhances participant recruitment/retention, and supports NIH, industry, and foundation-sponsored trials.
Clinical Research Unit Cores at MetroHealth, University Hospitals, and Cleveland Clinic - These cores offer a controlled environment for high-quality clinical research, with trained staff for study coordination, nursing, and laboratory support in inpatient and outpatient settings.
FDA and Regulatory Support Core - offers expert guidance on regulatory affairs, including strategies for transitioning research from pre-clinical to clinical trials, and supports preparing FDA submissions for drug products, medical devices, and biologics.

These services are key to advancing clinical and translational research. They offer researchers access to state-of-the-art facilities, expert assistance, and critical regulatory support.

View the full list of eligible cores

February Community Engagement Studio: Leveraging Data To Improve Working Conditions For Latino Farmworkers

Date: Monday, February 24th at 4:30PM

Community Engagement Studios are opportunities for researchers to receive community or patient

input on the development, implementation, or dissemination of a research project.

This studio will provide feedback on Leveraging Data To Improve Working Conditions

For Latino Farmworkers. We are actively seeking community members to

participate in the CE Studio. The studio will last 2 hours and take place on February 24th

at 4:30PM via Zoom. All participants are compensated $100 for their time.

If you’re interested in participating in the CE Studio, the first step is to meet one of the

following criteria and complete the survey in the registration link below.

Criteria for Leveraging Data to Improve Working Conditions for Latino Farmworkers

Studio:

Individuals Working for policy change related to outdoor workforce health and safety
Individuals working primarily with Latino agriculture groups that work outdoors

If you’re interested in learning more, please let us know by contacting Ivory Simms, the CE

Studio Staff Lead at ijs34@case.edu.

For more information about the CE Studio, community members are invited to attend a 1 hour informational Zoom meeting.

Leveraging Data To Improve Working Conditions For Latino Farmworkers

Date: Monday, February 24th at 4:30PM

To Attend Via Zoom:

Zoom Link

ID: 98952113858

Passcode: 327378

Community Engagement Facilitators Needed

The CTSC Community Engaged Research Module is hosting upcoming Community Engagement Studios and we need your help! Are you interested in guiding conversations to improve health research? Apply to facilitate a Community Engagement (CE) Studio!

What is a CE Studio? CE Studios are two-hour sessions where individuals from the community with lived experience can provide insight, feedback, and advice to help researchers improve their projects. We are looking for experienced facilitators to guide these conversations, ensure community voices are heard, and help build relationships between the community and researchers. The ideal potential facilitator will be communicative, unbiased, a good listener, flexible, and excited to bring together ideas!

The Commitment:

Facilitators will spend about 10- 15 hours between prep meetings, the studio, and debrief sessions. Facilitators will be compensated up to $975 for their service!

Apply to Facilitate a CE Studio

Publications and study information from our collaborators:

2025 Avery Award for Contributions to Neonatal Research

(January 2025)

Cynthia F. Bearer, MD, CTSC Annual Pilot Recipient, and renowned neonatologist, has been awarded the 2025 Mary Ellen Avery Neonatal Research Award by the American Pediatric Society and the Society for Pediatric Research. Bearer was recognized for her pioneering work in neonatal and pediatric environmental health, particularly for her research on the role of lipid structures in neurodevelopment and the effects of lipophilic neurotoxicants. Her groundbreaking studies have led to identifying fatty acid ethyl esters as biomarkers for in-utero ethanol exposure and its impact on neurocognitive development. Bearer’s work has greatly advanced neonatal care, leading to improved treatments and a deeper understanding of infant environmental health risks. She is also an influential editor and researcher with extensive publications and leadership roles in pediatric research organizations. Dr. Bearer was the recipient of a 2022 CTSC Annual Pilot Award titled "The Effect of Sound on Maturation of Respiratory Control in Preterm Infants.

Funding Opportunity for Transformative Research to Address Health Disparities and Advance Health Equity

The NIH is inviting applications for the "Transformative Research to Address Health Disparities and Advance Health Equity" initiative (RFA-NR-25-003), which aims to support groundbreaking research focused on addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). This initiative seeks innovative intervention research projects focused on addressing social determinants of health (SDOH), with the goal of significantly reducing health disparities and promoting health equity. Successful projects should demonstrate the potential for a major impact in advancing NIH's commitment to SDOH. Preliminary data are not required. The program has an estimated total funding of $500,000, with awards up to that amount. Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations, including nonprofits, government entities, and higher education institutions. The application deadline is February 28, 2025.

For More Details or to Apply to the Grant

Funding Opportunity for NIDCD Research Grants for Translating Basic Research into Clinical Practice

The NIH offers the "NIDCD Research Grants for Translating Basic Research into Clinical Practice" (RFA-DC-25-002) to support collaborative research between basic scientists, clinicians, and clinical scientists. This initiative focuses on translating basic research findings into clinical tools to improve communication disorders' diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The research must have a clear connection to clinical practice, with the goal of achieving a tangible clinical impact. The estimated total program funding is $500,000, with awards up to this amount. Eligible applicants include various organizations, including nonprofits, government entities, small businesses, and academic institutions. The application deadline is October 12, 2027.

For More Details or to Apply to the Grant

CTSC Event

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 | 11:00AM - 12:00PM | Virtual via Zoom

CTSC Spotlight Series -

Break Through the Noise and Become Known:

Accelerate Your Career with These Science Communication Skills

Want more funding, collaborators, or a promotion? In just one hour, learn how to boost your science communication skills and apply them to real-world scenarios on the same day.

Discover the secret ingredient to engaging people with your research online
Acquire skills to connect with collaborators and build trust with community partners
Explore ways the art and science of human connection can be harnessed to achieve your career goals

Sara Serritella is a science communication expert based at the University of Chicago. She trains physicians, researchers, and executives nationwide on how to communicate science and medicine to engage, inform, and inspire people to take action. She is the Director of Communications at the Institute for Translational Medicine.

CTSC Event

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | 12:00PM - 1:00PM | Virtual via Zoom

CTSC Quarterly Big Data Webinar: Epic Cosmos Database Advanced

Join the CTSC of Northern Ohio for the quarterly big data webinar. This event will explore key features and tools within Cosmos SlicerDicer to enhance data analysis capabilities. The webinar will cover the use of GIS and Datamarts in Cosmos SlicerDicer, along with advanced linking criteria and measures to refine your data insights. Participants will also learn how to export data from Cosmos SlicerDicer for further analysis in R and Python, and receive an introduction to the Cosmos Data Science Virtual Machine for streamlined data processing. This session is designed for researchers and data professionals looking to enhance their skills in utilizing big data tools for impactful analysis.

Learn more and register for CTSC Quarterly Big Data Webinar

CTSC Event

Thursday, February 13, 2025 | 12:00PM | Virtual via Zoom

CTSC of Northern Ohio Science Cafe - Gerontology/Special Populations

We are excited to welcome Margy Sanders, MA, LSW Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine at NEOMED for our February Science Cafe. She will be discussing the growing population of older adults and the urgent need to address their specific needs. Additionally, she will highlight how the HRSA Ohio Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program is working to meet these needs across the state.

Learn more and register for the February CTSC Science Cafe

CTSC Event

Wednesday, February 26, 2025 | 12:00PM - 1:00PM | In-Person Event, BRB Auditorium (105), CWRU and Virtual Via Zoom

Distinguished Speaker Series

Nadine Rouphael, MD is the Sumner E. Thompson, III Distinguished Professor of Vaccinology and Infectious Diseases at Emory University. Her research interests include antimicrobial resistance, vaccine clinical trials, vaccine delivery methods, translational research on innate immunity and systems biology, and immune aging and correlates of protection.

CTSC Event

Friday, February 28, 2025 | 9:00AM - 3:00PM | BRB Lobby, CWRU

American Red Cross Blood Drive

In observance of Rare Disease Day 2025 (February 27 & 28) the CTSC of Northern Ohio is partnering with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive on February 28th. Rare Disease Day aims to raise awareness of under-recognized and rare conditions while promoting better access to treatment and medical representation for individuals and families affected by these diseases. We invite you to join us in making a meaningful impact by donating blood and supporting health equity. While reservations are encouraged, walk-ins are also welcome.

Reserve a Time to Donate

CTSC Partner Event

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 | 11:00AM - 12:00PM | Virtual Via Zoom

Think Like an IRB Board Member: Vulnerable Populations, Drugs and Devices

In partnership with the UH Clinical Research Unit, join Dr. Lydia Furman, IRB Chair, for an in-depth exploration of key topics from the perspective of an IRB board member. This series will discuss vulnerable populations, drugs, and devices in clinical research. In part 2 of this series, IRB chair Dr. Lydia Furman takes a deep dive into topics from the lens of an IRB board member. After this presentation, attendees will be able to:

State relevant considerations for inclusion of vulnerable populations in research, including those covered in Subparts B, C, and D in 45 CGR 46
Describe the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for research involving drugs and devices

Click to Join the Webinar

CTSC Event

Friday, March 21, 2025 | 8:30AM - 2:00PM | Tinkham Veale University Center, CWRU

The Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Northern Ohio invites you on a journey to explore translational research projects, career paths in clinical research, and to learn more about the variety of services offered within the CTSC.

CTSC Research Discovery Day aims to:

Celebrate successful collaborative research from the CTSC and its partner institutions (Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), University Hospitals, University of Toledo and the VA Northeast Ohio Health System (VANEOHS))
Showcase the variety of services and opportunities available from the CTSC
Provide local high school and undergraduate students an opportunity to explore career paths in clinical research

Many aspects of clinical and translational research will be highlighted in this day-long symposium. Poster sessions will showcase a variety of CTSC-supported research among its partner institutions. Selected abstracts will be presented as short oral presentations.

A keynote speaker and panels will showcase the vast number of careers in clinical research, including roles such as finance specialists, project managers, and investigators. This will provide students the opportunity to learn about the daily responsibilities of these roles and the career paths that lead to them. The keynote speaker, Dr. Michael Holinstat, a professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Michigan, will present on 'Developing a Successful Career in Translational Research: From Concept to the Clinic.' Additionally, there will be opportunities for CTSC resources and services from all CTSC partners to have informational tables at the event. Staff and faculty will be available to promote their services, discuss careers, and answer questions from attendees. If you are unable to attend Research Discovery Day ,but wish to watch the keynote virtually, click here to register for the virtual live stream.

Visit our website to learn more about Research Discovery Day

Registration for Research Discovery Day is now open. This event is free for all attendees, please register by March 3, 2025 to secure your spot!

Symposium on Brain Health and Aging

In November 2024, the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Toledo hosted its first annual Symposium on Brain Health and Aging. This event brought together leading researchers, clinicians, faculty, students, and community members to explore the latest advancements in brain health and aging. The symposium provided a vibrant platform for interdisciplinary discussions, sparking innovative ideas and collaborations. The day began with a keynote address by Dr. Richard Miller, an internationally recognized expert in aging. Attendees also had the opportunity to hear from other distinguished presenters, engage in both clinical and community panel discussions, and interact with students during poster presentations. These posters showcased groundbreaking research conducted by our students, offering valuable insights into the innovative studies taking place at UToledo.

The symposium's organizer Dr. Zahoor Shah, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences had this to say about the symposium: “We thank CTSC for sponsoring the poster session, which allowed undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdocs to showcase their groundbreaking research and provided them with networking opportunities. We look forward to more such opportunities and collaborations with CTSC.”

Thank you to everyone who participated – we are already looking forward to next year’s symposium and the new discoveries it will bring to improve brain health for all.

To see more of the University of Toledo's College of Pharmacy events

VA North East Ohio Health System Recruiting Two Fellowship Programs

The VA North East Ohio Health System is actively recruiting for the next cohort of two fellowship programs beginning July 1, 2025: VA Quality Scholars and Health Professions Education, Evaluation, and Research Fellowship.

The VA Quality Scholars (VAQS) program is a two-year post-doctoral fellowship for doctorally-prepared healthcare professions focusing on improving healthcare quality through innovation, teaching, and research. This program is an immersive experience in the science of implementation and improvement, where you will gain experience in health systems research, extensive database analytics, and learning healthcare systems by conducting quality improvement and implementation research and working under the tutelage of interprofessional experts.

The Health Professions Education, Evaluation, and Research (HPEER) program is a two-year fellowship and requires a master’s degree in a health professions field. This fellowship is funded through the Department of VA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) to develop curriculum design and implementation skills, evaluation, and research. During this fellowship, you will focus on refining your teaching skills, developing communication skills, and building a portfolio.

Both fellowships are paid, full-time fellowships that include healthcare benefits, a stipend, and books, but not tuition. As this is a national program, you will meet and collaborate with other healthcare professional fellows nationwide. Cross-site learning experiences are convened by the faculty of the Houston VA Center for Training in Healthcare Quality. We have also attached documents that describe the programs in more detail.

Applications are due at the end of February. For more information about the fellowship visit our website.

Please email Mary Dolansky for further questions or if you are interested in applying

The 2025 Case-Coulter Translational Research Partnership Program Request for Applications (RFA) is now open!

The CCTRP supports collaborative translational research projects that address unmet or poorly met clinical needs. An overarching goal of the program is to improve patient care and accelerate the delivery of healthcare technology from academia to the marketplace; of particular interest is research and development work likely leading to commercially relevant translational technologies within a 3-5 year horizon.

The Case-Coulter TRP partners with the Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC) to provide an optional strategic development program (C3i) for applicants who are invited to submit a full proposal and oral pitch. The goal of this program is to provide the necessary resources, including knowledge and market research funding, for applicants to assemble the best possible full application.

Key Dates:

Pre-Proposal Due Date - February 28, 2025
C3i Program - April to June 2025
Proposals and Pitch Presentations Due - Approximately July 2025
Pitch Day - Approximately August 2025
Project Start Date - September 1, 2025

CTSC partners eligible for this program include: CWRU, Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth, University Hospitals and VANEOHS.

Learn more about the program and submission process on the CCTRP Proposal website.

For additional information please email Stephen Fening or Andrew Cornwell

Click on the images below to be directed to more information:

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: