May 2024 | CTSC Newsletter



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The CTSC of Northern Ohio has significantly advanced clinical and translational science (CTS) over the past 17 years. Supported by the CTSA grant program and partner institutions, the CTSC has streamlined research processes, enhanced innovation, fostered community engagement, and trained a diverse workforce. Over the last year, we hired many engaged staff excited to join us because of our mission. These staff are looking forward to engaging with you to make a difference. Whether you are a trainee, faculty, research staff, or community member, we undoubtfully have services and training that you would benefit from. If you are not sure where to start, please contact our Navigator who would be happy to help with your research needs. 

We are always proud of the achievements of all our members and health systems. In this issue, we proudly celebrate two great physician scientists from CWRU and University Hospitals, Drs. Amrou Sarraj and Mehdi Shishehbor, who were recipients of the 2024 Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Awards for their impactful research.  

We are also celebrating a number of other well-deserving awardees, postdoctoral fellows, and winners who have earned recognition for the incredible work they’ve done to move research and health equity forward in Northern Ohio. Please take a moment to read about their work and achievements.

In harmony with our partners, we aim for better healthcare for Northern Ohio and beyond!

Congratulations to our 2024 READI Themed Pilot Awardees!

Applications were submitted for pilot research funding to increase diversity in clinical trials and enhance community engagement by addressing barriers to clinical trial participation. Ten pilot grants with awards up to $20,000 were presented to the following institutions and community organizations. 

Read more about our PI awardees, their projects, and teams.

1. Kurt Stange, MD (CWRU) - Promoting Research Equity by Diversifying Clinical Trial Enrollment: A Vision of Change Community Health Worker CTSC Pilot
2. Erika Kelley, PhD (University Hospitals) - Elimination of Black Women's Barriers to Clinical Research on Postpartum Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
3. Carla Harwell, MD (University Hospitals) - Be INFORMED Community Wellness Project
4. Holly Hartman, PhD (CWRU) - Trials-Within-Cohort with Semi-Structured Interviews to Identify Health Goals of Older Men with Complex Multimorbidity and Test Supports to Improve Clinical Trial Engagement
5. Jacob Hill, MD (Cleveland Clinic) - Community Engagement in the Development of an Abbreviated Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Intervention for Depression in Older African American/Black Breast Cancer Survivors
6. Shearwood McClelland, MD (University Hospitals) - Reducing Barriers for Hispanic and Latina Patients with Breast Cancer Receiving Radiation Therapy
7. Lynette Gerido, PhD, MPH, MBA (CWRU) - Realizing the Net Benefit of Newborn Screening: Addressing Racial Disparities in Awareness, Return of Results, and Time to Treatment
8. Edward Barksdale, MD (University Hospitals) - Elite Youth Enrollment Better Together Program: Focus on Mental Health and Clinical Trials
9. Ye Fan W. Glavin, PhD (CWRU) - Achieving Health Equity: Recognizing the Health Profiles of Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities and Closing the Gap in Clinical Trials
10. Debora Bruno, MD (University Hospitals) - HOLA Ohio Project

CTSC T32 Postdoctoral Fellows

The T32 Training Program for Postdoctoral Researchers, led by Dr. Jim Spilsbury, aims to develop Clinical/Translational scientists with skills for interdisciplinary work, ability to work across disciplines, and ability to envision and design advances in clinical and community settings.

Congratulations to all of the individuals selected to the program and we wish you success in your fellowships! Learn more about the T32 Program.

Shelia Malone, DrPH, MPPA

Jackson State University

• Topic: Enhancing use of a referral platform to increase resources to disadvantaged patients and increase health equity
• Mentor: Shari Bolen, MD, MPH
• Location: Population Health and Equity Research Institute, MetroHealth Medical Center

Shannon Walker, PhD

Public & Community Health, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

• Topic: Racial disparities in maternal perinatal & postpartum outcomes
• Mentor: Darcy Freedman, PhD, MPH
• Location: Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health, Department: PQHS, CWRU

Alison Treichel, MD

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, University of Buffalo

• Topic: Host-microbial interactions in psoriasis and development of innovative biomarkers/therapeutics
• Mentor: Kevin Cooper, MD
• Location: Department of Dermatology, University Hospitals of Cleveland

Victoria Laney, PhD (5/2024)

Case Western Reserve University

• Topic: Improving molecular imaging to better understand tumor environments
• Mentor: Zheng-Rong Lu, PhD
• Location: Department of Biomedical Engineering, CWRU

Congratulations to our Core Utilization Pilot Awardees!

Core Utilization Pilot awards are intended to support initial stages of new research projects, with a special emphasis on innovative, interdisciplinary, and collaborative projects that advance a research project to the point at which it can attract external funding and/or peer-reviewed publications.

Join us in congratulating these investigators on their selected projects which will use eligible Core facilities at our partner institutions. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis and are due on the first day of every month. Learn more about our Core Utilization Pilot program.

August 2023

Shahdi Malakooti, MD

MetroHealth Medical Center

Role of Vitamin D Metabolites in Neuropsychiatric PASC

September 2023

Akihiro Yoshida, PhD

Case Western Reserve University

Screening drugs to induce senescence with CDK4/6 inhibitor in Nras mutant melanoma

September 2023

Justin Lathia, PhD

Cleveland Clinic

Interrogating the hyper-thrombotic state in glioblastoma using a prothrombin transgenic mouse model

October 2023

Ashleigh Schaffer, PhD

Case Western Reserve University

Defining the efficacy of CFTR corrector small molecules in secretory protein trafficking in neurons

October 2023

Melissa Lumish, MD

University Hospitals

STOP Cancer: STrategy to Optimize Preventive Cancer Screening in Rural and Under- Resourced Communities in Northern Ohio Using a Mobile Research Unit

November 2023

Hyun Jung Kim, PhD

Cleveland Clinic

Assessment of fibrotic penetration in a Crohn's disease-on-a-chip

December 2023

Amar Desai, PhD

Case Western Reserve University

Quantifying steroid sex hormones post stem cell transplant using LC/MS

December 2023

Alan Tartakoff, PhD

Case Western Reserve University

Defective Ribosome Response

January 2024

Krystal Tomei, MD, MPH

University Hospitals

Video Based Surgical Assessment: The Use of Individual Film Review for Assessment of Surgical Proficiency

March 2024

Sanford Markowitz, MD, PhD

Case Western Reserve University

Elucidating the transcriptional landscape of 15-PGDH inhibition in murine pulmonary fibrosis

"Let's Talk Research Session" and Undergraduate Research Poster Competition Winners

On April 15, 2024 The UH Clinical Research Center and the CTSC held an undergraduate research poster competition during Undergraduate Research Week at University Hospitals.

Congratulations to all students who participated - a promising example of what's to come in the future of research!

Each poster was evaluated by our panel of judges from UH and the CTSC, and the following students emerged at the top. Meet the competition winners:

1st Place

Ronnie Adeyinka

Senior at Case Western Reserve University

Research Topic: Sleep Health in Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes

2nd Place

Isaac Karim

Sophomore at Case Western Reserve University 

Research Topic: Adipose Dysfunction, Imaging, Physiology, and Outcomes with SGLT2i’s for Sleep Apnea: The ADIPOSA Study 

3rd Place

Kelsey Lopez

Sophomore at Case Western Reserve University 

Research Topic: Hormonal Control of Decidualization 

Honorable Mentions

Danny Cho

Sophomore at Case Western Reserve University 

Research Topic: Artificial Intelligence-Based Pediatric Sepsis Screening Tool 

Rachel Bhagat

Freshman at Case Western Reserve University 

Research Topic: The Development Of Patient Education Toolkits For Chronic Kidney Disease Patients 

Top 10 Recognitions

Clinical Research Forum honored two investigators with a 2024 Top Ten Clinical Research Achievement Award at Translational Science 2024 in Las Vegas, April 2024

From left: Mehdi Shishehbor, DO, MPH, PhD and Amrou Sarraj, MD.

Dr. Mehdi Shishehbor, DO, MPH, PhD, Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, President, Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, and CTSC KL2 Scholar, was recognized for his and his team’s work on The PROMISE II Trial, Percutaneous Deep Vein Arterialization for the Treatment of Late-Stage Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (PROMISE)

Dr. Amrou Sarraj, MD, George M. Humphrey II Endowed Professor of Neurology at Case Western Reserve University, and Director, Stroke Systems, Neurological Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center was honored for the exceptional work of he and his team on A Randomized Controlled Trial to Optimize Patients Selection for Endovascular Treatment in Acute Ischemic Stroke - SELECT2

Congratulations to your exemplary work and for shining light on research in Northern Ohio! Read more about the Clinical Research Forum Top 10 Award Winners.

CTSC Awarded the "Collaboration Diversity Excellence" Award at CWRU's 15th Annual Diversity Achievement Awards

The Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Northern Ohio was presented with the “Collaboration Diversity Excellence” award from the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Engagement for our work in inclusion and diversity-related collaborations and partnerships between departments, offices, institutes, organization and others.

We're proud to work in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility space. We share this award with deep appreciation for everyone who has played a part in our journey. We are committed to furthering inclusivity in clinical and translational science, ensuring that our work reflects and benefits the diverse populations we serve.

Read more about the Annual Diversity Achievement Awards and about CTSC's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility initiatives

The CTSC Hits the road to the Translational Science 2024 conference in Las Vegas

Members of the Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Northern Ohio made their way to the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV from April 3-5 for Translational Science 2024, a national conference focusing on Innovating to Increase Equity across clinical research and translational science, emphasizing diversity, and translational and team science.

CTSC staff members and colleagues presented a number of posters, panel discussions, and special interest topics in their time at the conference, and came back with new tools and ideas to elevate our program.

Read about their entire experience and insights.

ATLAS Team Science Program Participant Experiences

We're halfway through the 2024 ATLAS Program with session 2 concluding on Friday, May 3rd, 2024.

Let's go back at the beginning of some of our researchers' journeys in ATLAS and hear about their initial impressions of the team science and leadership program, the benefits they've already experienced, and what they hope to gain from the program overall. Click the video to the right to watch.

Featured Service - Regulatory Support



Did you know that the CTSC can provide investigators with awareness of regulatory requirements and acceptable standards for the conduct of clinical trials and the protection of human subjects?

This includes support and guidance for IRB submissions, research compliance, regulatory knowledge, education, and more.

Learn more about our Regulatory and Compliance Resources.

Request a Regulatory and Compliance consult in SPARCRequest.

Cleveland Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Grant Funding Available

Cleveland Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (CADRC) has three grants available for $40K each in direct costs for young investigators.

Download the guidelines and application.

Applications Due May 15, 2024

Award: $40K over 2 years = no indirects 

Eligibility:  

• Research Associates or Jr faculty that have not yet won an R01.  
• Full time at CWRU or affiliated hospitals (CCF, Metro, UH, VA)
• US citizen or perm resident 
• URIM encouraged

Research Type: Clinical or basic 

Focus: Alzheimer's and Related Dementias

Encouraged: Clinical: Risk factors, diagnosis, disease course, treatment and management. Basic: neurodegeneration, genetic factors, and cellular and molecular mechanisms

Use of Data from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC; https://www.alz.washington.edu/) or biospecimens from the National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias (NCRAD; https://ncrad.iu.edu/) are encouraged.

Submit: By email to Ms. Sandy Torres (slr7@case.edu) 

Please contact Xiongwei Zhu, PhD at xiongwei.zhu@case.edu if you have any questions.  

Clinical Research Fellow – Special Audit, CRSP 401: Introduction to Clinical Research Summer Course



The CRSP 401 "Introduction to Clinical Research" summer course is designed to familiarize one with the language and concepts of clinical investigation and statistical computing, as well as provide opportunities for problem-solving, and practical application of the information derived from the lectures.

Download the flyer to view eligibility and application information.

FDA Regulation Courses Available in Fall 2024

Registration is now open for two new courses for Fall 2024

• Regulatory Strategy and FDA Communications (MGRD 530)
• Patent Law and Biomedical Sciences (MGRD 531)

These courses are supported by the Graduate Education Office in the School of Medicine in

collaboration with faculty from Weatherhead School of Management, School of Law, Industry

Partners, and Alumni of Case Western Reserve University.

Registration deadline is August 23, 2024. Download the flyer for course descriptions and registration information.

Presentations covered challenges in diagnosing and treating rare diseases, available treatments, and the need for approved options. Notably, Nora Singer, MD, and Afua Cannon, Ph.D. from the CTS delivered talks on rare disease research with presentations entitled, “Pediatric Sjogren's Disease: Planning the Use of N of 1 Study Design” and “From Scientific Discovery to Medical Treatments: Rare Disease Research at MetroHealth” respectively.

The CTSC’s Research Table, hosted by MetroHealth clinical research coordinators Adrian Worthy and Danielle Best, highlighted our commitment to health equity through initiatives funded by the Clinical and Translational Science Award.

Healthy Living at Harvey High School

On Saturday, March 2nd, 2024, the CTSC and University Hospitals Clinical Research Center (UH CRC) brought the UH Mobile Clinical Research Unit (MRU) to Harvey High School in Painesville, OH.

Olivia Larbi, Research Integration and Education Specialist with the UH CRC (pictured), spoke with community members about clinical research at UH and the CTSC’s resources and monthly Science Cafe educational series. Paul Harris, a Clinical Research Specialist at UH (not pictured), gave tours of the MRU to interested community members.

Dr. Craig Jarrett of MetroHealth Receives $300k Young Investigator Award

Dr. Jarrett's AHA proposal receiving the award is titled "Implementation of Actionable Clinical Decision Support Using Machine Learning with Explainable AI in a FHIR Application"

The project will be building a clinical decision support system with advanced features native to Epic based on AHA Guidelines across the Cleveland hospitals.

"This work is another example of the true partnerships our CTSC Health Informatics team is building across our partner sites and assisting early-career investigators. Dr. Craig Jarrett's $300K Young Investigator Award was made possible due to the strong collaboration of our UH, CCF, CWRU, and MetroHealth Health Informatics team to support his application and further support his project."

- Dr. David Kaelber, Health Informatics

Congratulations, Dr. Jarrett!

Thursday, May 9th , 2024 | 12:00 - 1:00PM | Virtual via Zoom

Science Cafe - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

Bring your ideas and an open mind to the next Science Cafe - a monthly educational series that gathers together scientists, investigators, trainees, and community members to engage in meaningful discussions aimed at forging new collaborations through common interests in exciting areas of research.

Every month will feature a new research focus, content expert, fresh perspectives, collaborative thinking and open discussion.

From research priority setting to scientific approaches, workforce development and operations—there's never been a better time to build systems, policies, procedures, and infrastructure that supports DEIA from bench to bedside to the community.

Join us for an engaging discussion on all things DEIA, Health Equity, and Health Disparities led by Dr. Cynthia Owusu, MD, Medical Oncologist, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and Associate Director of DEI at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Gelise Thomas, JD, MS, Director, Research Health Equity, CTSC of Northern Ohio.

Thursday, May 15-16, 2024 | Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds

CTSC Workforce Development at the Polaris Career Expo 2024

Visit our booth!

Visit the CTSC Workforce Development Team at the Polaris Career Fair to learn about various careers and career pathways in clinical research regardless of your background.

Wednesday, 5/15/2024, 9:00AM-2:30PM

-and-

Thursday, 5/16/2024, 9:00AM-2:30PM, 5:00-7:30PM

Thursday, May 16, 2024 | 12:00 - 1:00PM | Virtual via Zoom

Learn about the Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC) of Northern Ohio

Enhancing Research Innovation and Impacting Health Equity in Northeast Ohio and Beyond

Hosted by the University Hospitals Clinical Research Center, join members of the Case Western Reserve University Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Northern Ohio to learn more about their mission and the resources they have available for the research community. We will review programming for researchers, funding opportunities, and how you can get involved.

Open to all CTSC partners and Cleveland-area researchers and community members!

Monday, May 20, 2024 | 1:30 - 4:30PM

CWRU Biomedical Research Building Lobby

International Clinical Trials Awareness Day

In 2005, International Clinical Trials Day was established in remembrance of James Lind's pioneering clinical trial on scurvy on May 20, 1747.

In partnership between the CTSC and the University Hospitals Clinical Research Center, we invite you to join us in celebrating our colleagues, friends, family, and support systems that make research happen.

Download the flyer below to see all of the fun events planned for the afternoon, including tours of the UH Mobile Clinical Research Unit - the first of its kind in Northeast Ohio!

Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | 11:00AM-12:00PM | Virtual via Zoom

REDCap: An Introduction

Join the CTSC for an introduction to REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) with our REDap administrator, Sheree Hemphill.

Sheree supports software and informatics at both Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals, supporting over 2,500 users at CWRU and over 4,200 users at UH.

In this one hour session, you will learn:

• The basics of REDCap
• How to request REDCap access
• The basics of how to create a data entry form instrument using the Online Designer
• How to create, enable, and send out a survey
• Basic features of user rights, data exports & reports, and project status

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 | 12:00-1:00PM | Virtual Webinar

Cardi-OH Statewide Webinar -

Social Determinants of Health: Implementing Screening and Taking Action

The Ohio Cardiovascular and Diabetes Health Collaborative (Cardi-OH) will present a free

webinar on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. titled “Social Determinants of Health: Implementing Screening and Taking Action,” featuring keynote speaker Rachel Gold, PhD, MPH, from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research and OCHIN.

Objectives of this 1.00 CME credit webinar include:

• Understand barriers and facilitators to the implementation of screening for and making referrals to address social determinants of health in primary care settings.
• Learn about current evidence on strategies for decreasing the health impacts of social risk.

Thursday, May 23, 2024 | 12:00-1:00PM | Virtual via Zoom

Discover with UH: Integrative Medicine Research Awareness

Join the UH Clinical Research Center for a panel discussion on Integrative Medicine, our panelists' research findings, their personal journey into clinical research, and why representation matters in their field

In this webinar, you will:

• Learn about the current state of Integrative Medicine research at University Hospitals
• Gain insights into patient care improvements from Integrative Medicine research
• Understand the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of Integrative Medicine

Bring your questions about Integrative Medicine for our panelists. Our panel shall consist of the following health professionals:

• Sam Rodgers-Melnick, MPH, MT-BC
• Seneca Block, Ph.D.
• David Miller, MD

Wednesday, May 29, 2024 | 10:00AM - 3:00PM

Ariel International Center, Cleveland, OH

SAVE THE DATE: The 2024 Greater Cleveland Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders’ (AANHPI) Community Roundtable Event

Featured Speakers on:

• Financial Literacy for Small Businesses and Individuals
• Promoting Language Access, Educational, and Employment Protections
• Plus Opportunities for Professional Networking

And a Federal Resources Fair open to all participants!! Formal invitation and registration to follow!

Thursday, May 30, 2024 | 1:00 - 6:00PM

Case Western Reserve University, Tinkham Veale Ballroom 

The APT Center's First Annual Spring i-Con Research Symposium

Graduate students, postdocs, and upperclassmen: Seize this opportunity for professional development. 

Showcase your research at the poster session, attend career focused workshops, and hear from renowned leaders in the rehabilitation research field.

The goal is to provide student / trainee - driven professional development programming, feature a world leader in rehabilitation, Dr. Joe Pancrazio, as the keynote speaker, and close with a showcase of your research in a poster session / networking event - with awards for top presentations!

*Abstract submissions for the poster session are open as of March 1st, 2024*

Wednesday, June 5, 2024 | 12:00 - 1:30PM | NEOMED, G105

CTSC Overview and Luncheon at NEOMED

Join The CTSC at NEOMED as we review resources, programming, and events available to researchers from the CTSC.

This is a great chance to meet and network with colleagues old and new! Lunch will be provided.

Wednesday, June 6, 2024 | 5:15 - 9:10PM

The Westin Cleveland Downtown, Cleveland, OH

3rd Annual CINEMA Symposium - The Latest and Greatest on Obesity Treatment to Reduce Risk for Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease

Join The University Hospitals Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute (HHVI) CINEMA Program for their 3rd annual symposium.

Chaired by Dr. Ian Neeland, MD, FAHA, FACC, the symposium will feature presenters from across the country discussing their experience and work.

See the full agenda and meet the speakers by clicking the registration button below.

Friday, June 7, 2024 | 9:00 - 1:00PM

UH Cleveland Medical Center Atrium

UH Clinical Research Center Research Fair

Join the UH Clinical Research Center and embark on a day of innovation and discovery!

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 | 11:00AM - 12:30PM

University of Toledo, HEB 105 (Health Education Building, Health Science Campus)

CTSC Overview and Luncheon at the University of Toledo

Join The CTSC at UToledo as we review resources, programming, and events available to researchers from the CTSC.

This is a great chance to meet and network with colleagues old and new! Lunch will be provided.

Thursday, June 13, 2024 | 11:00AM - 12:30PM | Virtual via Zoom

Science Cafe - Long COVID and the RECOVER Study

Bring your ideas and an open mind to the next Science Cafe - a monthly educational series that gathers together scientists, investigators, trainees, and community members to engage in meaningful discussions aimed at forging new collaborations through common interests in exciting areas of research.

Every month will feature a new research focus, content expert, fresh perspectives, collaborative thinking and open discussion.

In June, join us for an engaging discussion on Long COVID and the RECOVER Study led by Dr. Grace McComsey, MD FIDSA, Principal Investigator of the CTSC and one of the leading COVID researchers in the nation.

Thursday, June 13, 2024 | 3:00 - 5:00PM | Greater Cleveland Food Bank

Community Engaged Research Co-Learning Event

Establishing Trustworthiness and Balancing Power in Research Partnerships

Join the CTSC Community Engaged Research Team’s first Co-Learning Event. During this two hour world café style session, we invite academic and community members who are curious about community research to listen and learn from community experts and faculty with experience in community engaged research.

Community engaged research is a process that incorporates input from people who the research outcomes will impact, and involves these people or groups as equal partners throughout the research process. This could include co-designing research questions to solve problems, making decisions, influencing policies, and creating programs and interventions that affect their own lives.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Ground individuals in principles of Community Engaged Research (CER).
• Learn from real world examples of past missteps and experiences here in Cleveland.
• Move forward with a plan to operationalize best practices of cultivating trustworthiness discussed with our community partners.

Refreshments and heavy appetizers will be served.

The Restoring Lower Limb Neural Connections (ReLLiNC) laboratory was highlighted in the 2023 VA Research Week

Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Northern Ohio

case.edu/medicine/ctsc