Letter from the President
As we transition into a new year, CTSA Hubs face increasing fiscal pressure from flat budgets, the continuing resolution, distrust of scientific evidence in health policy and likely others. How can we best sustain the momentum and impact of the translational science revolution? I believe CTSA Hubs, supported by the ACTS, are in a solid position to be resilient organizations in these changing times. Supporting this assertion, I am reminded of an earlier study of “Adaptive Capacity” published as a Thematic Issue in JCTS. Adaptive Capacity refers to an organization’s ability to adjust to change, and to respond appropriately to challenges. In this paper, the CTSA Working Group identified 6 domains of organizations that effectively responded to challenges generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Of these, a “leadership and administration” domain was discovered as one the greatest strengths of the CTSAs. Practices in this domain included effective communication, knowledge sharing across institutions, relentless innovation and flexibility. Now more than ever, ACTS plays an important role in supporting this essential domain to provide CTSA hubs with adaptive capacity.
Although the study examined Adaptive Capacity during a public health emergency, I contend that leadership and administrative practices that were successful in the pandemic will also support CTSA organizations as they face the many challenges ahead. In particular, the CTSA network’s use of data-driven approaches to examine and refine organizational processes; our established trustful relationships developed over the past decade; and, our shared decision making processes are practices that will position the CTSA network to respond to these challenges as well as any organization. The ACTS supports these practices in numerous ways. Our committees, special interest groups and annual Translational Science meeting facilitate knowledge sharing. The ACTS provides a unified voice for communication and advocacy. In these ways, and others, ACTS supports adaptive capacity in our CTSA Hubs, providing us resiliency to respond to these future challenges.
Allan Brasier, MD
ACTS President
ACTS Updates
Register for the 3MT® Competition by Friday, January 17
There's still a week left to register for the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition at Translational Science 2025! The 3MT is an academic research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia that cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. This fun and friendly competition is open to predoctoral trainees, postdoctoral trainees, and early career scholars.
The last day to register for the competition is Friday, January 17. Learn more information about competition rules and judging criteria through the link below. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to showcase your knowledge and skills in front of your peers and mentors!
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In-Person SIG Meetings at Translational Science 2025
Are you part of an ACTS Special Interest Group (SIG), or perhaps interested in learning about one? Consider signing up for one of the in-person SIG Meetings at Translational Science 2025! This is a great opportunity for SIG members to connect face to face, and to discuss ongoing projects and key issues surrounding their fields. All SIG Meetings at Translational Science require pre-registration to attend. View our schedule at a glance to learn when each meeting is taking place.
Translational Science 2025 will be held in Washington, DC from April 14-17, 2025. The last day for early bird rates is Tuesday, February 11, so don't miss out on the best deal for the premier meeting for translational scientists!
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ACTS TREATS SIG General Meeting with Donna Adams
Join the ACTS TREATS SIG for their next general meeting on Thursday, January 16 at 2:00 pm ET. Donna Adams will be hosting a special talk centered around mentorship and career advancement for research education administrators.
Anyone interested in attending can register for the Zoom session using the link below. You can learn more about the TREATS SIG and our other Special Interest Groups by visiting our website.
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Partner News
News from the Hill
In a poignant reminder of the whipsaw-nature of the legislative process during the previous Trump term, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 appropriations process was thrown into disarray at the 11th hour following some late-night tweets. Congress had until midnight on Friday, December 20th to act and pass another Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government open and operating. The measure that was introduced mid-week reflected sustained bipartisan negotiations and a litany of timely priorities. In addition to extending funding until March 14th, the original CR addressed Medicare physician reimbursement, coupled supplemental disaster relief with farm aid, dealt with Medicare extenders, and included many health and higher education provisions. The deal was derailed the following day as the incoming administration called on rank and file Republicans to reject the measure and to add in a debt ceiling increase.
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Stories from our Members
Duke BOOST Science Saturday: Inspiring New Generation of Clinical Research Professionals
Workforce development teams at Duke CTSI and the Duke Office of Clinical Research (DOCR) recently partnered with young mentors from the Duke BOOST program to engage Durham, NC eighth graders in exploring clinical research and pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and medicine (STEM).
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Rochester Healthy Community Partnership celebrates 20 Years
On October 14, 2024, researchers, community partners and volunteers gathered to celebrate one of Mayo Clinic's longest community-academic partnerships. Rochester Healthy Community Partnership (RHCP) — a research collaboration focused on responding to community-identified health needs affecting immigrants to the U.S. — had just turned 20.
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Engage with ACTS
Special Interest Groups
ACTS offers its members the opportunity to participate in Special Interest Groups (SIGs) related to the field of clinical research and translational science. SIGs connect individuals who share similar goals and interests, providing a channel to network and participate in knowledge and resource sharing among peers.
Learning Library
The ACTS Learning Library is the centralized location for all ACTS educational offerings, including partner webinars and past Translational Science recordings. ACTS members receive complimentary access to webinars and recordings.
Upcoming Events
January 16, 2024
January 16, 2025
April 14-17, 2025
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