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Advancing Translational Research Through the Collaborative and Pilot Studies Program

Supporting preliminary, short-term studies to advance the translation of clinical and translational research into practice and public policy for the people of Wisconsin

Full Project Name:Advancing New Discoveries in Translational Research Through the Collaborative and Pilot Studies ProgramPrincipal Investigator:Reza Shaker, MD, MedicineAward Amount:3,172,764
Award Date
April2011
Project Duration:60 months

Project Description Narrative:


The Clinical and Translational Science Institute of Southeast Wisconsin represents a unique and transformative collaboration between the Medical College of Wisconsin and several community and institutional partners including Froedtert Hospital, Children's Wisconsin, VA Medical Center, Blood Center of Wisconsin, Marquette University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

The CTSI aims to provide a collaborative environment for biomedical researchers, health care providers, educators, citizens, and industry to work together synergistically to translate fundamental discoveries into better health for the people of Wisconsin. A critical step for accomplishing this goal is to encourage interdisciplinary research collaborations and test new approaches and promising discoveries through clinical and translational research. An essential approach to accomplish this is through the support of pilot awards, which can test the design of a full-scale study and provide the researcher with ideas, approaches, and clues that increase the chances of getting clearer findings in a main study.

Through this award, the Clinical and Translational Science Institute of Southeast Wisconsin will implement a pilot and collaborative funding program to support preliminary, short-term studies that can advance the translation of results of clinical and translational research into practice and public policy for the people of Wisconsin.

Outcomes & Lessons Learned:


  • Established a successful and impactful Pilot and Collaborative Clinical and Translational Research Program aimed at enabling investigators to develop strong clinical and translational research skills across institutions and disciplines
  • Developed mechanisms and processes for composing and distributing RFAs, as well as a standing committee of senior scientists to guide application review and provision of funding
  • Established reporting guidelines to track accomplishments of funded investigators and communication channels to share new technologies and resources across partnering institutions
  • Supported 64 translational research awards with 246 investigators participating. As a result, these research teams have received more than $15 million in extramural funding to further their work; have published 33 manuscripts reporting their findings in diverse peer-reviewed journals; have made 213 presentations; and have reported 11 commercial outcomes

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