Letter from the JCTS Editor

What makes a good submission to the Journal?

It's a great question that I am asked almost daily. It's also one I resist - creativity is king and innovating in research should also mean innovation in dissemination. Yet there really are some keys to writing great articles. Of course, the methods must be sound, the writing clear, and the topic relevant. And this checklist might be needed, or that checklist. But what really makes a great article?

I am not going to recapitulate what a thousand other people have described. Instead, I want to focus on a set of manuscripts important to JCTS. Manuscripts that are critical to moving our field forwards - those that describe novel programs and new approaches. To be realistic, clinical and translational research is hard. JCTS is a vehicle for dissemination of lessons learned and is your partner for sharing how to overcome translational roadblocks. Key is that the innovations achieve the intended goal, and that lessons learned are generalizable. Some important considerations include:

What research roadblock was the innovation expected to solve?
Has the program been described sufficiently that others could replicate it?
Are the measures of success reflective of programmatic goals?
Did the innovation achieve the expected change?
Regardless of outcome, what are those lessons learned that can be generalized beyond your own institution?

If you are interested in disseminating your programmatic advances through JCTS, we encourage you not only to fully describe the advance, but to also demonstrate local success with appropriate data. Better still, as you share your lessons learned, we encourage you to explore how we might use the scientific method to evaluate our advances and contribute to a data-rich evidence base for accelerating the pace of translation.

We look forward to receiving your manuscripts, and to share your innovations so that together we can advance clinical and translational science.

Call for Translational Science 2025 Proposals Now Open

We are now accepting your proposals for scientific sessions and posters to be presented at Translational Science 2025! This is your opportunity to share your latest work at the premier meeting for translational researchers in the United States. Anyone interested in being part of next year's groundbreaking educational program has until September 23, 2024 to submit their proposals.

Translational Science 2025 will be held in Washington, DC from April 15-17 2025, with pre-meeting activities taking place on April 14. Keep checking back here for news about registration, awards, keynote speakers, and more as we keep gearing up to see you all in our nation's capital!

Submit Your Proposal

Member Highlight: SC CTSI

Ani Kardashian, MD utilized her KL2 Mentored Career Development award from the Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute in a study that uncovered the importance of lessening food insecurity for individuals with diabetes and HIV. The results of her team's study showed an increased risk of advanced liver fibrosis among diabetic and HIV-positive participants who also struggled with chronic hunger and food insecurity.

“People with HIV might experience competing demands where they can afford either their medicines or their food,” Kardashian said. “They are marginalized and may have less access to food. Another explanation is that people with diabetes, HIV and food insecurity may have less visceral fat depositing in the liver.”

Member Highlights

Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized for outstanding or groundbreaking work? Is your institution embarking on an exciting project? Send ACTS your story to be highlighted in future issues of the ACTS Connection.

Submit stories here.

Career Center

The ACTS Career Center is the premier resource for connecting those in the field of translational science with career opportunities. Visit today to find a wealth of resources to help achieve your career goals. ACTS members receive a 50% discount on the site—use code ACTSMEMBER to save!

Translational Science Today

Introducing the Division of Pharmacotherapy and Translational Sciences (PTSCI) at UT Austin Pharmacy

The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy's Division of Pharmacotherapy in San Antonio is undergoing a significant transformation. Effective September 1, 2024, the group will become the Division of Pharmacotherapy and Translational Sciences (PTSCI) to better reflect its tremendous growth, expansion and strategic collaborations over the past decade.

News From The Hill