The National Center for Research Resource’s Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) is intended to transform clinical and translational research, so that new medical treatments can be developed more efficiently and delivered more quickly to patients. The NIH will support the creation of academic homes for the discipline of clinical and translational research around the country. Approximately $30 will be awarded to 4-7 institutions in FY 2006, but when fully implemented, the initiative is expected to award a total of approximately $500 million each year to 60 sites by 2012.

Wayne State University is in the early stages of coordinating its application to this broad-based program, so that it might improve its science infrastructure to facilitate increasing our overall science funding. With a CTSA the university will be able to recruit better young faculty, better support faculty involved in clinical research, and strengthen its position as a recognized leader in interdisciplinary clinical and translational research and education.

To this end, WSU intends to apply for one of fifty CTSA Planning Grants, in order to coordinate its resources with the goal of applying for an institutional CTSA.

For more information about this initiative, please contact the Office of the Vice President for Research, 577-5600 (research@wayne.edu).