August 2026 | CTSC Newsletter, Issue 1 | | 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: | | |
Turning Discovery into Impact: Entrepreneurship & Commercialization
The CTSC of Northern Ohio is excited to announce its newest special initiative, Entrepreneurship & Commercialization (E&C), which helps accelerate the translation of biomedical discoveries into commercial ventures, clinical products, and broader societal impact. The initiative connects researchers with training, mentorship, venture development support, competition opportunities, and funding pathways designed to move promising innovations from the lab, clinic, and community toward real-world use. By supporting investigators at every stage of the commercialization journey, from early discovery to startup formation and clinical approval, the E&C Special Initiative aims to help bring new technologies and interventions to patients and communities more quickly.
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Share Your Perspective on AI at the CTSC
The CTSC of Northern Ohio is conducting an AI Landscape Assessment to learn more about how artificial intelligence is being used across our partner institutions and to identify areas where added resources or support may be helpful. We invite researchers, clinicians, educators, staff, and trainees to participate by sharing their insights and experiences.
Your input will play an important role in shaping future CTSC efforts related to AI, including training opportunities, consultation services, governance, implementation support, and other strategic investments. The survey takes about 5–7 minutes to complete, and all responses will remain confidential.
Thank you for helping us form this important work!
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Reproductive Health Symposium 2026 Welcomes Keynote Speaker, Jodi A. Flaws, PhD
This year’s Reproductive Health Symposium: From Exposure to Outcome will spotlight a keynote presentation by Jodi A. Flaws, PhD, on the “Effects of Phthalates on Female Reproduction.” Dr. Flaws, Professor in the Department of Comparative Biosciences and Director of the Interdisciplinary Environmental Toxicology Training Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is widely recognized for her work on how environmental exposures affect reproductive health. Held on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the MidTown Collaboration Center, this free, day-long symposium will also feature short presentations from local researchers and an interactive demonstration of a CTSC Community Engaged Studio.
Free registration, lunch, and parking are included. Trainees and researchers interested in sharing their work can submit an abstract by August 14, 2026 at 5PM.
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Applications Open for Our Second
Mock Study Section
Applications are now open for our second Mock Study Section, taking place Friday, November 6, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the MidTown Collaboration Center. This interactive session offers investigators a hands-on opportunity to experience the grant peer review process firsthand through a simulated study section modeled on real application review. Participants will gain valuable insight into how reviewers assess significance, innovation, approach, and overall impact, while learning about common strengths and weaknesses that can affect scoring and funding decisions. We are currently seeking both reviewers and project proposals. For questions about the Mock Study Section or about serving as a reviewer, please contact Roberto Alers-Velazquez, PhD.
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New Community Advisory Board Begins Work for 2026–2027
The CTSC of Northern Ohio has launched Community Advisory Board activities for 2026–2027 with onboarding for new members and its first meeting of the year. The 19-member board brings together leaders from organizations across the region, reflecting a wide range of professional expertise and lived experience, including rural and farming communities, mental health, aging, and research participation.
"I am thrilled to work alongside this thoughtful group of people and look forward to strengthening our mission to advance research that improves the health and well-being of communities across Northern Ohio."
- Darcy Freedman, PHD (CWRU), CTSC CAB Co-Lead
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Applications Open: CTSC CHW Academy
Applications are now open for the funded, 15-week CTSC Community Health Worker Research Academy, offered in partnership with Cleveland State University. The program combines Community Health Worker certification with clinical and community-engaged research training. Designed especially for community members from rural areas, it builds skills in health outreach, advocacy, ethics, community resources, and research fundamentals, preparing graduates for roles such as Research Assistant, Research Data Collector, and Research Navigator. Please help spread the word to anyone passionate about improving community health and exploring careers in research.
Learn more about the Community Health Work Research Academy
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CTSC Themed Pilot Opportunity:
"Advancing Clinical and Translational Science with AI"
The CTSC of Northern Ohio is now accepting applications for a new Themed Pilot funding opportunity focused on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance clinical and translational research and improve health outcomes. This opportunity will support four pilot awards up to $50,000 each.
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NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2 Clinical Trial Optional): The NIH Common Fund, through the Office of the NIH Director, is offering the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2 Clinical Trial Optional) funding opportunity (RFA‑RM‑27‑002). Awards provide up to $475,000 in direct costs per year for five years, with approximately 30 awards anticipated in FY 2027.
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PRIMED-AI: Development and Testing of a Multi-use Frameworks Playbook for Precision Medicine with AI (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed): The NIH is inviting applications for the PRIMED-AI program to support development and preliminary validation of frameworks for multimodal AI tools that integrate imaging with other health data for clinical decision support. The goal is to create a “playbook” of guidelines and standardized protocols to advance reliable and scalable precision medicine applications. NIH anticipates 5 awards of up to $300,000 each.
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PRIMED-AI: Data-to-Model Academic-Industrial Partnerships (D2M-AIP) for Precision Medicine with AI: Integrating Imaging with Multimodal Data (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional): The NIH is soliciting applications for the PRIMED-AI D2M-AIP program to support academic-industry partnerships developing multimodal AI-based clinical decision support tools. These projects will integrate clinical imaging with other health data to advance precision medicine and accelerate adoption of reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable AI tools in clinical care. NIH anticipates making 8 awards under this opportunity.
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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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Feature Learning Module:
"Introduction to Health Outcomes and the
Disparate Disease Burden"
This month, we’re highlighting 'Introduction to Health Outcomes and the Disparate Disease Burden', an entry-level module in the Investigator Research Education Learning Track. Led by Johnie Rose, MD, PhD, Preventive Medicine and Public Health Physician, the module introduces key concepts in population-level health outcomes research, including why these measures matter and how they can inform public health research.
As part of the module, Dr. Rose’s featured video, “Examples of Important Population Health Measures,” explores foundational concepts such as the difference between incidence and prevalence.
Available through Canvas Catalog, this free, self-paced learning platform provides flexible clinical and translational research education for investigators and research teams. Explore this module and other learning opportunities designed to strengthen your research knowledge and skills!
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As a benefit of your membership with the CTSC of Northern Ohio, you now have free access to Canvas Catalog - a collection of research, education, and resources provided by the CTSC Workforce Development team.
Access the catalog today!
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CTSC Leader Helps Advance Rapid Oral Cancer Test
Case Western Reserve University has received a new five-year, $2.93 million National Cancer Institute award to advance a rapid, chairside oral cancer test, with CTSC Entrepreneurship and Commercialization lead Umut Gurkan, PhD, as part of the team. Led by Aaron Weinberg, DMD, PhD, of the School of Dental Medicine and the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, the project is developing a noninvasive oral swab test in partnership with Hemex Health to help clinicians quickly determine whether a suspicious lesion needs a biopsy. “CTSC support helped validate the beta-defensin index in patients when it was still a laboratory measurement, providing the evidence needed to move toward a point-of-care test,” said Gurkan. The project shows how early translational support can help move discoveries toward clinical and public health impact.
Read the full article to learn how CTSC-supported research advanced this rapid oral cancer test
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New Funding Supports Sickle Cell Research
Umut Gurkan, PhD, CTSC lead for Entrepreneurship and Commercialization, has received two grant awards totaling more than $1.2 million to advance sickle cell disease research. His work includes development of a microfluidic biochip to assess red blood cell health and therapeutic response, as well as a four-site study examining the prevalence and impact of sleep-associated hypoxemia in adults with sickle cell anemia. Together, these awards highlight strong translational collaborations across engineering, medicine, industry, and partner institutions.
Learn more about Umut Gurkan’s latest awards and research
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CTSC Event: Big Data Webinar: Epic Cosmos Data Science Virtual Machine (DSVM)
Speakers: Ashley Hughes, PhD, MS & Craig Jarrett, MD
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CTSC Scientific Writing Open Office Hours
Moderator: Roberto Alers-Velazquez, PhD
*No registration required
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MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL
MOCK STUDY
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
8:30AM - 12:00PM
Virtual via Zoom
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CTSC EPIC COSMOS DATATHON
Friday, November 20, 2026
8:00AM - 5:00PM
MidTown Collaboration Center
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WHOLE HEALTH
RESEARCH SUMMIT
Friday, January 15, 2027
8:30AM - 2:00PM
MidTown Collaboration Center
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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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