The Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Cleveland (CTSC) exists to foster a diverse, inclusive research environment that engages scientists and community members. It is our commitment to eliminate health disparities and advance health equity by upholding principles of equity throughout the discovery process.
Our commitment to diversity acknowledges and promotes inclusion of everyone. Differences help:
- A diverse scientific community better understands how diseases and conditions affect underserved communities;
- Healthcare institutions, providers, and caregivers deliver the most effective treatments and care, tailored to those differences; and
- Create opportunities for learning, listening, understanding, and trust-building.
Our commitment to equity is supported by continued increase of quality and efficiency of clinical and translational research, emphasizing collaboration at multiple sites, and innovative informatics that help drive impartiality and fairness.
Examples of multisite collaboration include:
- COVID-19 Rapid Response Pilot Program
- IDEARICH - cross-institutional collaborations that brings together hospital, social service, and community organizations focused on reducing childhood asthma disparities.
- Nourishing Beginnings - partnership between Better Health Partnership, First Year Cleveland, and the Greater Cleveland Food Bank aimed at reducing food insecurity among low-income pregnant individuals
Examples of informatics include:
- EMERSE (Electronic Medical Record Search Engine)
- ROSE (Reach Out, Stay Strong, Essentials for New Moms) - a pilot study at the UH Rainbow Ahuja Center for Women and Children that aims to reduce the risk of developing prenatal depression in high-risk populations.
- TriNetX and TriNetX Trial Connect - increased the number of accepted clinical trial opportunities at MetroHealth and University Hospitals.
- EPIC Cosmos - platform with electronic health record data on over 1.2 million MetroHealth patients in the aggregate data warehouse.
Our commitment to inclusion involves ensuring equitable access to research opportunities and resources for all communities that we serve in our aim to advance human health. We cannot not advance human health without identifying, informing, and engaging all humans—regardless of perceived or actual challenges for participation in the research process. From developing and cultivating a workforce that reflects our diverse community to co-creating space for all stakeholders to share what is working, what could be improved, and how we can work together to innovate—our science does not stop at the lab nor does it rest at the bedside. The opportunities for impact are endless if we work together.
Our commitment to accessibility is driven by our intent to ensure that anyone who wants to access the research space is able. From knowing about and being supported in entering the research workforce to easily understanding and choosing to participate in research as a volunteer–we are all spokes that help wheels turn to advance health equity. We provide resources that researchers can use to build successful research programs and studies through SPARCRequest spanning topics, including: biostatistics, community & collaboration, diversity, equity, inclusion, & accessibility, informatics, pilot funding opportunities, and workforce development.