The Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC) of Northern Ohio proudly contributed to the 2026 Translational Impact Summit, hosted by the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program Consortium and guided by the theme “Driving Translational Science Toward Measurable Impact.” The summit convened leaders and researchers from across the CTSA network to advance strategies for evaluating, communicating and accelerating translational impact.
The CTSC played an active role through invited presentations and a featured poster, highlighting the hub’s leadership in evaluation science, community engaged research and impact dissemination.
Clara Pelfrey, PhD, director of evaluation, emphasized the importance of storytelling in translational science. “Case studies are a terrific way to tell the stories of successful translation,” she shared. “Comparing multiple case studies…is a way to learn more about the translational process.” As a long-time leader in the national Case Studies Working Group, she highlighted their value in communicating impact across diverse audiences.
Shari Bolen, MD, MPH, CTSC Community Engaged Research module co-lead demonstrated how research can drive real-world change, presenting examples of work that informed policy and improved outcomes in areas such as Type 2 Diabetes. She noted that CTSA partnerships have been instrumental in building community-engaged research networks that accelerate implementation and translate findings into practice.
Expanding on cross-hub collaboration, Lixin Zhang, PhD, CTSC assistant director of Evaluation co-presented a working session on aligning impact measurement across the consortium. Her participation also included a poster presentation showcasing a scholar’s journey toward broad translational impact. “These discussions have generated opportunities for future collaborations, shared evaluation strategies and cross-hub learning,” she said.
The summit also underscored the importance of communication and dissemination in amplifying research impact. Rick Badger, assistant director of research content and production highlighted how the CTSA network enables broader visibility and knowledge exchange, strengthening the reach of translational science efforts.
The CTSC’s poster presentation further reflected this collaborative spirit. As Lora Parent, MBA, director of strategic partnerships and research development, noted, “Our poster isn’t just a presentation—it’s an opportunity to showcase our research impact and expand our network in ways that are hard to replicate elsewhere.”
Participation in the summit reinforced the CTSC of Northern Ohio’s commitment to advancing measurable impact and translating research into meaningful improvements in health outcomes.
View the CTSC's Translational Impact Summit Poster "The Ripple Becomes a Wave: A Scholar's Journey to Broad Translational Impact."
