Call for Project Ideas: Innovations in Clinical and Translational Science Research

August 1, 2024


The Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research is seeking ideas for innovative clinical and translational science projects for potential inclusion in our upcoming NIH/NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Award grant application. This is an exciting opportunity for new and existing partners to collaborate with the Irving Institute and be part of Columbia’s next CTSA Program hub.  

Overview  

The projects must focus on strategies and innovations to overcome important barriers in clinical and translational research processes that are generalizable across different diseases and/or types of research studies. 

We are inviting Columbia University faculty to submit Letters of Interest (LOIs) describing projects that may be included in and funded via the CTSA UM1 Element E mechanism. The selection process will be multi-stage, starting with the submission of a brief LOI. Selected LOIs will be invited for further discussions with CTSA leadership for potential project development and inclusion in the Irving Institute’s May 2025 CTSA UM1 application.  

Project Requirements  

The Clinical and Translational Science Research Program will support discrete research project(s) in clinical and translational science (CTS). These projects should: 

  • Address a truly significant opportunity for innovation or roadblock in clinical and translational research (CTS) (that is a priority to local stakeholders). 
  • Address a translational research question in a particular disease, intervention development and/or dissemination/implementation context, AND 
  • Provide generalizable innovations, principles or insights that can be applied to other translational research project contexts or diseases and increase the overall efficiency or effectiveness of research translation. 
  • Budget up to $250,000 in direct costs per year for a period of 2-4 years. 

We welcome projects across the translational spectrum from basic science to clinical implementation to public health delivery and scale-up.  
 

Examples of project areas include, but are not limited to:  

  • Generalizable approaches to increasing diverse representation in the clinical workforce or in clinical research study participants 
  • Generalizable approaches to human-centered AI 
  • New approaches and acceleration of commercialization 
  • Clinical trial innovations 
  • New applications for cell therapy 
  • Public health emergencies or responsiveness 
  • Data interoperability 
  • Life course approach to health and aging research 
  • Implementation and integration of social determinants of health (SDOH) screening and service delivery to promote health equity 

Eligibility 

  • Project leaders (Applicants/Principal Investigator) must have a faculty appointment at Columbia University of assistant professor or higher. 
  • Applicants may submit multiple LOIs. 
  • LOIs from individual PIs or partially formed teams are eligible. The Irving Institute can work with selected project leaders to identify collaborators, as needed. 
  • We welcome interdisciplinary teams from across the university. 
  • We encourage applications from project leaders and/or teams from underrepresented groups. 
  • Special consideration will be given to projects that include research plans reflecting alignment with the Irving Institute commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

Contact  

Kayla Zalcgendler 
622 West 168th Street, 10th Floor 
New York, NY 10033 
United States 
kz2397@cumc.columbia.edu