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ACTRI Information for the Public

 

What is the purpose of the Clinical and Translational Research Institute (CTRI)?
The purpose of the Clinical and Translational Research Institute is to improve the way biomedical research is conducted. The goal is to shorten the time it takes for scientific discoveries in the laboratory to become new treatments that are ready for patients. Translational research is the series of many experiments that starts with a laboratory innovation and ends with a final product: a clinical breakthrough that has been adopted by clinicians in practice and is available to patients. This process is responsible for new drug discoveries, new treatment modalities, new medical devices and easier ways to help people improve their health-related behaviors.
How does the CTRI achieve this goal?

The Clinical and Translational Research Institute accomplishes its goal by: offering training to a new generation of clinical researchers, helping researchers get resources they need to perform first class research, and making new discoveries known and understood to clinicians in practice and to the general public.

UCSD has partnered with several institutions here in San Diego and is part of a consortium of more than 60 other research partnerships nationwide committed to this goal. Much of the consortium’s funding is derived from Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
 How is the public involved?

The NIH, which partially funds the Clinical and Translational Research Institute, is a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services. This federal department has a cabinet-level secretary appointed by the President and is funded by the U.S. Congress. Taxpayers contribute to and benefit from the discoveries that come from clinical and translational research.

Members of the public can become directly involved with clinical research by volunteering to be part of a research trial. Clinical trials recruit people of all ages and ethnic/racial groups. Healthy volunteers and subjects with specific diseases or health conditions are also needed.

The public can also contribute to clinical and translational research by informing the CTRI of health-related discoveries they desire. This information is most often passed to the CTRI through community agencies (for example, your own doctor's office, a community clinic, a disease-related support group, or an agency that represents a certain age or ethnic group). The CTRI also hosts interactive seminars that are geared towards members of the public. Or, just e-mail us if you have any questions or concerns!

You can get involved if you:
  • Are interested in knowing about research studies seeking volunteers
  • Are a community-based clinician or a leader in a community agency and you are seeking a partnership with the CTRI
  • Want to follow CTRI news and events on facebook or twitter

Click on a field to the left for more information about CTRI, our partners, or about getting involved. Or contact the Community Engagement Division at ctri-community@ucsd.edu or 858-657-5139.




 

 

Research Match

 

What is ResearchMatch?

It is a registry of volunteers willing to learn more about research studies. Research needs both volunteers and researchers. ResearchMatch helps bring these two groups together in a secure convenient way.