Heidi Jacobe, M.D., M.S.C.S., has been appointed Associate Dean of Clinical Research Workforce Development. In this role, she will create the inaugural Academy for Clinical Research Workforce Development to support those involved in clinical research.

Dr. Jacobe is a Professor in the Department of Dermatology and holds the James N. Gilliam, M.D. Chair in Dermatology. Her main clinical and research interest is morphea, or localized scleroderma. She is the founder and director of the National Institutes of Health-funded Morphea in Adults and Children Cohort and Biorepository.

A dedicated mentor, Dr. Jacobe is committed to the career development of the next generation of clinical investigators and was inducted into the UT Southwestern Academy of Teachers in 2020. She serves as Director of UTSW's Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Workforce Development Core, co-Director of the Master of Science in Clinical Science Program, and guides KL2 Scholars in the design of their curriculum/training plan.

Under Dr. Jacobe’s leadership, the Academy for Clinical Research Workforce Development will develop a full series of clinical and translational research training programs for faculty at all career stages. The Academy will provide faculty members with personalized training, including online development tools, workshops, didactics, and community building.

To continue to provide career opportunities to our clinical research employees, the Office of Clinical Research (OCR) and Human Resources (HR) have partnered to identify clear career advancement opportunities for our data specialists and coordinators.

The goal is to offer employees a path that clearly outlines how roles progress, enriches the work environment, and creates an even stronger group of dedicated professionals who support our clinical research mission. The career path consists of seven progressive steps to advance to the clinical research manager level:

• (2501) Clinical Research Assistant I
• (2502) Clinical Research Assistant II
• (2503) Clinical Research Assistant Lead
• (2504) Clinical Research Coordinator I
• (2505) Clinical Research Coordinator II
• (2506) Clinical Research Coordinator Lead
• (2507) Supervisor Clinical Research 
• (4367) Manager Clinical Research

These titles are available immediately for posting and recruitment.

The OCR and HR will be working with the departments in the next several months to align existing employees to the new structure. This realignment will have no negative impact on total FTEs or salaries of existing employees.

The new career path gives flexibility to disease teams to strengthen their organizational structure. It also significantly increases our competitiveness to attract and retain talented employees and make UT Southwestern an employer of choice in the DFW region.

For more information, email ocr@utsouthwestern.edu. 

Clinical research infrastructure will soon be enhanced with the addition of the electronic research document binder software, Florence eBinders. 

Florence eBinders is a digital clinical trial site that houses workflow for electronic investigator site files, electronic participant binders, and electronic logs. Designed to help with clinical trial regulatory processing, the platform is meant for PI-initiated studies as well as industry-sponsored studies. It will be available to departments and personnel involved in clinical research.  

Users will have remote access to regulatory documentation, files, logs, and binders for startup, monitoring, and source data review. Study-subject level binders can be created to share protected health information for source-data verification. The platform is 21 Code of Federal Regulations Part 11-compliant. These capabilities allow a complete digital experience – from startup to closeout – regarding clinical trials, including eSignatures.  

The Office of Clinical Research is leading this effort in collaboration with Academic Information Systems, Human Research Protection Program, Sponsored Programs Administration, and various department and center representatives.  

Go live for Florence eBinders is set for early fall. More information about role-specific training sessions will be communicated as they become available.

For questions, contact Andrea Taylor or Nora Tassabhji.

Clinical and Translational Science Forum

This interactive forum provides an opportunity for trainees to meet with established investigators in clinical and translational research to share their ideas and experiences.

• Thursday, Aug. 18 at 12:15 p.m., Dr. Eric Peterson, Vice Provost and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Research, presents the "Vision for Translational Research Across UT Southwestern." Register to attend.

Creating Impactful Slide Presentations

This workshop features tools to prepare slides and deliver engaging presentations. You will learn how to create a presentation layout and design simple and clean slides that showcase your research. 

• Thursday, Aug. 25; 4-7 p.m. Register to attend.

Sponsored Programs Administration Research Roundup

Funding agency deadline reminders, process changes, and general regulatory and administrative updates for research support staff, faculty, and department administrators. 

• First Thursday of each month at 11 a.m. Register to attend.

Second Annual Texas Health Informatics Alliance Conference

Hosted by the Multi-Interprofessional Center for Health Informatics, the theme of this in-person conference is “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to Accelerate Health.”  

• Friday, Sept. 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at UT Arlington. Register to attend.