SPARCRequest Service Catalog

State-of-the-art resources, gold-standard methodologies, and an experienced, skilled CITI and GCP-trained staff support the nutritional needs of research studies. Resources are available for inpatient and outpatient studies within clinical research units or in other settings for community research.

Collaboration with investigators to develop an optimal study design and/or statistical analysis plan for studies. Biostatisticians/epidemiologists provide free support for the development of research studies being submitted for external funding.

The Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC) of Cleveland, a collaborative among Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and its affiliated hospital systems, the Cleveland Clinic (CC), MetroHealth (MH), University Hospitals (UH), and the Louis Stokes Veterans Administration Medical Center (VA) aspires to be a catalyst for high quality clinical and translational (C/T) research both locally and nationally.

The CTSC:

• Trains and cultivates the translational science workforce
• Catalyzes translational science
• Engages patients and communities in every phase of the translational process
• Promotes the integration of special underserved populations in translational research across the human lifespan
• Innovates processes to increase the quality and efficiency of translational research, particularly of multisite trials
• Advances the use of cutting-edge informatics

Translation, as defined by NCATS, is the process of turning observations in the laboratory, clinic and community into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public — from diagnostics and therapeutics to medical procedures and behavioral changes.

Request a Training Consultation, Letter of Support, Grant Writing Consultation, or Research and Impact Evaluation from the CTSC Administration.

Our clinical research units aim to facilitate timely and responsible completion of human studies from conception through completion and effectively disseminate key findings through responsible and reproducible research.

As one of the two largest, cross-institutional components, the goal of the CTSC Community and Collaboration (C&C) component is to foster effective multidisciplinary investigative teams enriched with our diversity of stakeholder communities, to address, together, the health and health care priorities of our population. The CTSC C&C seeks to institutionalize team science with community and stakeholder engagement as a normative approach to research across CWRU and its health system partners.

Dissemination & Implementation (D&I) of research evidence should result in measurable improved outcomes in broad domains as outlined in the Translational Science Benefits Model, including clinical and medical, community and public health, economic, and policy and legislative benefits. Schedule a consultation to integrate D&I into your research.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are priorities that ensure clinical and translational science is generalizable, just, and continuously building on knowledge that will help eliminate health disparities to achieve health equity. The DEIA service assists investigators with identifying and accessing resources that support individual and systemic building of research programs and studies that reflect DEIA principles and values.

Connect to learn about resources available to help develop diverse, inclusive, equitable, and accessible research programs and studies. Consultations include:

• Intrapersonal and interpersonal DEIA development;
• Exploration of diverse communities, inclusive partnerships, equitable engagement, and accessibility by design;
• Introduction to understanding health disparities and advancing health equity;
• DEIA resource navigation (e.g., commitment to DEIA, glossary, law and policy, health disparities, resources and awareness opportunities); and
• Co-creation of a DEIA plan for your research.

Informatics is critical for the successful capture, management, analysis, and interpretation of clinical and translational data. The informatics needs of CTSC investigators include the translation of data into information and then into knowledge by combining basic research (e.g. proteomic profiles, biomarkers, genome sequences), clinical research (e.g. clinical trials, EHRs), and population research (e.g. community interventions).

Our goal is to provide a stable, flexible, comprehensive, and user friendly biomedical informatics infrastructure (tools, processes, people, and training) that enables and enhances all aspects of translational research.

To apply for a CTSC Funding Opportunity, you will first need an ID number from SPARC (called a "Project ID"). SPARC is the CTSC's service request system. Obtaining a Project ID from SPARC will help you access the Funding Opportunity RFAs and applications in InfoReady as well as link you to other services provided by the CTSC. The Funding Opportunity RFAs are found here.

REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) is a secure web application for building and managing online surveys and databases. While REDCap can be used to collect virtually any type of data, it is specifically geared to support online or offline data capture for research studies and operations.

The CTSC can provide investigators with awareness of regulatory requirements and acceptable standards for the conduct of clinical trials and the protection of human subjects. A primary goal of regulatory and compliance is to help reduce regulatory burden for investigators. We can help investigators understand the function of the FDA and investigator responsibilities for those submitting new Investigational New Drug (IND) applications or Investigational Device Exemptions (IDE) or those investigators conducting research under an existing IND or IDE. We can link investigators directly with the point person at each CTSC institution for:

• IRB submissions
• Clinical research contracting (i.e., trial agreements, Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Data Use Agreements (DUAs), etc.)
• IND/IDE applications
• Research education and training.

The Research Guidance service assists investigators in identifying and accessing the CTSC’s vast resources. Whether you are a new researcher or a seasoned investigator, we can help you navigate the complexities of the regulatory requirements and conduct research more effectively.

The Trial Innovation Network (TIN) is a collaborative initiative of the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) that seeks to address critical roadblocks in clinical trials and accelerate the translation of novel research into clinical practice. Case Western Reserve University is a member of the TIN through its CTSA grant, which provides study investigators with a broad range of services and consultations to optimize clinical trials and studies. These services and consultations are designed to help investigators develop proposals into protocols, optimize study operations, and enhance recruitment and enrollment.

Translational Workforce Development through the CTSC supports researchers in creating value for their programs through funding opportunities, training and education, and development of relationships with pharmaceutical and biomedical device corporations. TWD endeavors to develop strong partnerships in biomedical research at all levels. We can assess and advise investigators with supported projects, educate faculty, fellows and graduate students in technology transfer and development of research ideas, and move promising candidates quickly from discovery to development. Our approach includes:

• Building technologies by providing strong pre-clinical development programs
• Attracting capital using CWRU endowment and state grants as a foundation to attract partner investors
• Supporting the development of people by actively building entrepreneurship
• Translational research support programs