CTSA Program Projects & Initiatives

Streamlined, Multisite, Accelerated Resources for Trials Institutional Review Board 

To streamline the institutional review board (IRB) process for multisite clinical research, we support the development of the Streamlined, Multisite, Accelerated Resources for Trials (SMART) IRB Platform. SMART IRB is a single IRB reliance platform for multisite clinical studies, enabling study sites to rely on a single IRB of record. Learn more about the SMART IRB.

Trial Innovation Network

The Trial Innovation Network is a collaborative initiative composed of three key organizational partners: three Trial Innovation Centers, a Recruitment Innovation Center and the CTSA Program institutions. Our vision for the Trial Innovation Network is to address critical roadblocks in clinical trials and to accelerate the translation of novel interventions into life-saving therapies. Learn more about the Trial Innovation Network.

CTSA Program Collaborative and Innovative Acceleration Awards

CTSA Program Collaborative and Innovative Acceleration Awards (CCIA) are intended to foster research collaboration by encouraging teams from three or more CTSA Program institutions to work together to develop, demonstrate and disseminate innovative solutions for overcoming translational science roadblocks. Learn more about the CTSA Program CCIA.

CTSA Program Rural Health Efforts

Rural Americans, who make up about one-fifth of the U.S. population, face numerous health challenges including higher rates of poverty, fewer healthcare specialists, high rates of risk behaviors, and remote locations that make it difficult to access care. Due to the CTSA Program’s nationwide reach and ability to foster diverse collaborations and engage communities, funded investigators are uniquely positioned to support interventions that improve health in rural America. Learn more about these efforts.

Community Engagement Across the CTSA Program Consortium

CTSA Program institutions are working hand in hand with community partners to build strong relationships, understand community needs and improve community health. This commitment to community engagement accelerates clinical research, expands treatment delivery and speeds the response to public health challenges. Learn more about the community engagement efforts.

Evolve to Next-gen ACT (ENACT) Network

The Evolve to Next-gen ACT health informatics platform builds upon prior work of the CTSA enabling investigators and trainees at CTSA institutions to conduct electronic health record (EHR)–based research on any disease or condition across the network. The next generation of this platform will offer enhanced data quality metrics and ontologies, modern analytic capabilities (such as natural language processing and artificial intelligence/machine learning), provide more interoperability with common data models (such as OMOP, PCORnet, i2b2), and support both federated and secure temporary centralized data enclaves for more meaningful EHR-based research. Learn more about the Evolve to Next-gen ACT platform.

CTSA Program Coordinating Center

The Coordination, Communication, and Operations Support (CCOS) Center serves as the coordinating center for the CTSA Program. The primary goal is to facilitate the work of collaborative scientific teams within the program, while also providing logistical support and ensuring a smooth flow of data, information, and insights throughout the network. Learn more about CCOS.

Past Initiatives

Common Metrics Initiative

The Common Metrics Initiative was designed to assess and optimize the CTSA Program’s overall impact on the nation’s health. Establishing a set of standard evaluation measures across CTSA Program institutions helped focus program activities, streamline data collection, and demonstrate measurable progress toward program goals, including improvements in research translation and workforce development.

National Center for Data to Health

Through the National Center for Data to Health (CD2H), informatics experts used CTSA Program resources to develop standardized approaches and best practices that address operational and institutional barriers to sharing data. The CD2H aimed to help make data more meaningful, open and accessible, a key goal in NCATS’ efforts to improve translational science. Learn more about CD2H.