The Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) was founded in 2009 to support the needs of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program. ACTS currently represents nearly 6,000 members who are involved in academic intuitions, industry, philanthropic agencies and government. 

ACTS's Mission

ACTS is committed to advancing the discipline of clinical and translational science with which it relates to improving human health.

Key areas of focus include:

• Research

Supports multi-dimensional, cross-cutting research that encompasses multidisciplinary investigative teams from many different subspecialty areas.

• Education

Serves as the annual meeting place for trainees, junior faculty and senior scientists to disseminate new developments in the design and conduct of clinical and translational research.

• Advocacy

Advocates at the local, state, and federal levels to coordinate public policy, and private and government funding.

• Mentoring

Provides a forum to share studies, promote best practices, and optimize professional relationships among trainees and mentors.

Commitment to DEI

ACTS is a mission-oriented, action-based association that honors diversity, advances equity and inclusion, and fosters a sense of belonging and trust among its members. We recognize, respect, and celebrate differences in culture, background, and experience - embracing the importance of diversity and inclusion to advance clinical and translational science efforts. We accept our moral and ethical responsibility to contribute to an inclusive culture and insist that members show each other respect. We condemn discrimination, racism, intolerance, and indifference of any kind that threatens to separate us from the overall goal of increasing health through clinical and translational science. Because we strive for our values to be visibly woven into the foundation of ACTS, we focus on establishing an operational structure to support, cultivate, and sustain diversity and inclusion efforts with an aim to advance equity and justice through our research, education, advocacy, and mentorship.

Our strategic goals for the future include:

• Recruit individual and institutional members and partners with the purpose of catalyzing translational science through the intersection of research discovery and implementation, with a particular focus on enabling precision medicine
• Develop a compelling value proposition that engages an inclusive translational science community of contributors from discovery to implementation, across their career lifecycle
• Implement a sustainable advocacy program in support of clinical and translational research
• Create an organizational structure and culture that encourages intentional futurism to support the organization’s growth and long-term sustainability

Learn more on how the Association plans to support the achievement of these goals.