Center for Clinical and Translational Research

Our Vision

We will be the bridge to advance laboratory discoveries from the institute towards new and innovative treatments that will potentially prevent and cure childhood illnesses and improve the quality of children’s daily lives. We will advance the science of clinical research by focusing on new methods to conduct better research in children and mentor new clinical scientists to become tomorrow’s leaders.

The Center

Clinical research is a critical pathway to the development of treatments that transform the health of children. Under the direction of Dr. Bonnie Ramsey, the Center for Clinical and Translational Research will translate scientific discoveries emerging from other research centers at Children’s into novel therapeutic approaches and standards of practice that will improve outcomes and potentially prevent or cure childhood diseases.

There are two phases of translational research: discovery, where laboratory findings are translated into diagnostic, treatment, and preventive strategies through initial testing in humans; and implementation, where promising results are incorporated into clinical practice. As such, the center will serve as a link between the basic science centers and the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development.

Center Programs

Because clinical research is the common pathway for developing new therapeutic approaches, our center will welcome investigators from all pediatric subspecialties. Described below are the programs necessary to support investigators in conducting translational and clinical studies involving children.

  • Develop novel study designs and analytical approaches for all aspects of clinical research, ranging from early phase human trials (e.g., pharmacokinetic studies) to late phase clinical research (e.g., pharmacogenomic or pharmacoeconomic analyses).
  • Develop improved clinical trial endpoints to optimize the safety and efficiency of clinical research, including improved biomarkers, short-term and long-term functional outcomes and imaging techniques.
  • Establish patient cohorts with highly characterized clinical profiles to promote investigation of genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, environmental factors, personal factors and the interactions among those factors.
  • Support translational investigators through the difficult transition from laboratory to human-based investigation by providing consultative services in critical areas such as regulatory consultation and clinical development planning.
  • Promote research subject advocacy and ethics through investigator and participant education, communicating outcomes to participants and assessing participants’ experiences.
  • Ensure clinical research education of investigators and staff to promote optimal clinical research practices and compliance with regulations.
  • Develop Data Management and Biostatistical Core services linked to the Institute of Translational Health Sciences (ITHS) to support grant writing and protocol development.
  • Provide Pilot Funding and an annual Young Investigator Award to support the most promising research of junior faculty or senior fellows.
  • Assist junior investigators in developing a career in clinical and translational research through the Scholars Mentoring Program.

To learn more about becoming a Member in this center, interested faculty and postdoctoral researchers are encouraged to contact Bonnie Ramsey, MD, at (206) 987-5725.