Inefficiencies in the national clinical research infrastructure have been apparent for decades. The National Center for Advancing Translational Science—sponsored Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program is able to address such inefficiencies. The Trial Innovation Network (TIN) is a collaborative initiative with the CTSA program and other National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutes and Centers that addresses critical roadblocks to accelerate the translation of novel interventions to clinical practice. The TIN’s mission is to execute high-quality trials in a quick, cost-efficient manner. The TIN awardees are composed of 3 Trial Innovation Centers, the Recruitment Innovation Center, and the individual CTSA institutions that have identified TIN Liaison units. The TIN has launched a national scale single (central) Institutional Review Board system, master contracting agreements, quality-by-design approaches, novel recruitment support methods, and applies evidence-based strategies to recruitment and patient engagement. The TIN has received 113 submissions from 39 different CTSA institutions and 8 non-CTSA Institutions, with projects associated with 12 different NIH Institutes and Centers across a wide range of clinical/disease areas. Already more than 150 unique health systems/organizations are involved as sites in TIN-related multisite studies. The TIN will begin to capture data and metrics that quantify increased efficiency and quality improvement during operations.

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Glioblastoma (GBM) carries a prognosis of 14.6 months mean survival despite maximal surgical, chemotherapeutic, and radiation therapy. The pericyte is a recently characterized cell shown to be a critical component of cerebral vessel physiology and pathology. Importantly, alterations in pericyte densities have shown resulting changes in breast and lung tumor growth. We leverage transgenic pericyte-deficient mouse models to evaluate resulting behavior of implanted patient-derived GBM. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Patient-derived, green fluorescent protein labeled, GBM will be implanted in right frontal bregma of both 6-month old pericyte-deficient (PDGFR+/−) mice and age-matched wild-type littermate controls (IACUC 20755, IRB 16-00929), which are immunosuppressed via daily intraperitoneal cyclosporine injection. In total, 30 mice of both genders are included in tumor and control cohorts. Fixed cortical sections following 3-week period will be stained for pericytes (NG2), endothelium (CD31), hypoxia (piminidazole), and tumor size. One-way ANOVA with will used to compare groups using SAS software (Cary, NC). RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Feasibility studies show robust in vitro growth of patient-derived GBM cells, showing continued growth over 10 cellular division passages. Lentivirally transduced GFP reveals reliable tumor tracking both in vitro and in vivo. Transgenic mice at 6 months display reproducibly decreased pericyte and microvascular density in triplicate. Wild-type mice tolerate tumor injection up to three weeks with visible tumor growth, peritumoral hypervascularity, and no evidence of mouse neural dysfunction. With current cohorts recently implanted with tumor, we anticipate a significant decrease in tumor size with Cohen’s d effect size of 0.5 in GBM implanted in pericyte-deficient mice when compared to control. Effect sizes are based moderate to large (effect size 0.5–0.8) reductions of in vitro GBM growth in vascular gene (TGF-β knockdown studies). In addition, tagged tumor-derived pericytes should comprise a greater proportion of new vasculature in pericyte-knockdown mice to overcome host pericyte depletion. Finally, tumors in transgenic mice should show increased hypoxia from limitations in angiogenesis. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Feasibility studies show successful tracking of fluorescently tagged-patient derived GBM samples in transgenic mice with decreased vasculature. GBM grafts show no evidence of immunogenic response with cyclosporine protocol. Successful limitation of tumor size with reduced pericyte density will provide support to increasing study of blood-brain barrier, stem cell activity and inflammatory activity of pericyte microenvironments altering GBM behavior. Furthermore, implementation of known pericyte targeted therapies, such as imantinib, can be evaluated for GBM patient treatment efficacy. Studies with assembled clinical translational research scholar mentorship team will allow the principal investigator to develop an independent career with laboratory focused on contributing to improved patient outcomes, translating successful pericyte-targeted results to patient trials.

A dramatically increased interest in dissemination and implementation (D&I) science, with relatively few training programs for D&I scientists, highlights the need for innovative ways to deliver educational materials, training, and resources. We described nine interactive, web-based D&I science resources appropriate for trainees and Clinical and Translational Science Awards. We used audience feedback and design thinking to develop resources iteratively. Primary target users are T3–T4 researchers, although T2 researchers can benefit from “designing for dissemination” resources. Workforce development resources were used in D&I science workshops, as stand-alone, self-directed resources, and for consultations and trainings. We assessed resource design (purpose, functionality), usage, user experience and engagement. Educational resources addressed included: D&I science basics, pragmatic trials, getting proposals funded, designing for dissemination, and D&I science theory selection. We reviewed the purpose, functionality, status, and usage of these interactive resources. All resources engaged users; provided interactive feedback for learners; and linked users to additional learning resources. Online resources can be valuable for preparing clinical and translational mentees for research consultations, as follow-up training activities, and as D&I workforce development resources. The resources described are publicly available and we encourage their use, further development, and evaluation by Clinical and Translational Science Awards and other programs.

The Principal INvestigator Development and Resources (PINDAR) program was developed at the NYU-H+H Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hub in response to a perceived need for focused good clinical practice (GCP) training designed specifically for principal investigators (PIs) performing human subject research. PINDAR is a novel 6-hour, instructor lead, participatory, in-person course for PIs developed de novo, piloted, and implemented. One hundred and seventeen faculty PIs participated in PINDAR from November 2016 through September 2018. All obtained mutual recognition for ICH E6 GCP training from TransCelerate Biopharma. PINDAR was well received by participant PIs, and feedback surveys have revealed a high degree of satisfaction with the program. Other CTSA hubs and research-intensive health systems should consider adopting a similar course focused on GCP for PIs.

Several reports have shown that doctoral and postdoctoral trainees in biomedical research pursue diverse careers that advance science meaningful to society. Several groups have proposed 3-tier career taxonomy to showcase these outcomes. This 3-tier taxonomy will be a valuable resource for institutions committed to greater transparency in reporting outcomes, to not only be transparent in reporting their own institutional data but also to lend greater power to a central repository.

A robust biomedical informatics infrastructure is essential for academic health centers engaged in translational research. There are no templates for what such an infrastructure encompasses or how it is funded. An informatics workgroup within the Clinical and Translational Science Awards network conducted an analysis to identify the scope, governance, and funding of this infrastructure. After we identified the essential components of an informatics infrastructure, we surveyed informatics leaders at network institutions about the governance and sustainability of the different components. Results from 42 survey respondents showed significant variations in governance and sustainability; however, some trends also emerged. Core informatics components such as electronic data capture systems, electronic health records data repositories, and related tools had mixed models of funding including, fee-for-service, extramural grants, and institutional support. Several key components such as regulatory systems (e.g., electronic Institutional Review Board [IRB] systems, grants, and contracts), security systems, data warehouses, and clinical trials management systems were overwhelmingly supported as institutional infrastructure. The findings highlighted in this report are worth noting for academic health centers and funding agencies involved in planning current and future informatics infrastructure, which provides the foundation for a robust, data-driven clinical and translational research program.

As part of their mission, Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs are charged with developing, testing, and disseminating evidence-based practices to other CTSA hubs. Over the past 7 years, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has answered this charge by implementing the facilitator training (FT) initiative for research mentors. Three elements to advance training across the CTSA hubs have been critical: (1) using an FT model to empower others to build research mentor training at their local institutions; (2) tracking implementation of training events across the CTSA hubs over time; and (3) partnering with implementation sites to build local capacity and evaluate the effectiveness and quality of training. Here we report that facilitators have been trained at 75% of CTSA hubs. These facilitators report high satisfaction with the training and increased confidence in their ability to implement mentor training, and plan to implement local mentor training. These findings demonstrate that the FT initiative can serve as a model for dissemination and implementation of other workforce development interventions across the CTSA hubs.

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Astroglial glutamine synthetase (GS), which metabolizes glutamate and ammonia to glutamine, is critical for the detoxification of brain ammonia, clearance of synaptic glutamate, and production of brain glutamine. Perturbations in the expression and activity of GS are thought to play a causative role in the pathogenesis of several conditions of abnormal neurotransmission. Although the long-term consequences of GS inhibition on amino acid homeostasis in the brain are unknown, it is thought that amino acid influx in the brain is tightly coupled with glutamine efflux via the L-type amino acid transporter. Both glutamine and leucine serve many critical functions in the brain including protein synthesis, gene expression, insulin regulation, and immune signaling. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of chronic GS inhibition with methionine sulfoximine (MSO) on glutamine and leucine homeostasis in the brain. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: In total, 12 rats were surgically implanted with microdialysis guide cannulas in the bilateral dentate gyrus. Rats were randomly divided for surgical implantation of either a MSO (n=6) or phosphate buffer saline (PBS; n=6) pump in the right dentate gyrus. After 7 days, bilateral microdialysis probes were placed under brief isoflurane anesthesia, and microdialysis flow was established by infusing 0.5 µL/min of artificial extracellular fluid. Dialysate samples were collected every 30 minutes for the duration of the experiment. A 113 mM 15N-Leucine (3.6 mL/h) and 2 M 2–13C-sodium acetate (0.0633 μL/g/min for t=0–5 min, 0.0316 μL/g/min for t=5–10 min, and 0.0253 μL/g/min for t>10 min) solution was infused intravenously for 300 minutes. The EZ:Faast Free Amino Acid analysis kit and ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry was used for quantification of amino acids in the dialysate fluid. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: At baseline (t=0 h), the concentrations of glutamine were significantly lower in MSO-treated rats (p<0.001) in the ipsilateral (GS-inhibited) hippocampus. There were no differences in glutamine concentrations between MSO and PBS-treated rats in the contralateral hippocampus. In PBS-treated rats, there was a significant increase in 15N-leucine between t=0 hour and t=5 hour in the contralateral (p<0.05) and ipsilateral (p<0.05) hippocampus. In MSO-treated rats, there was a significant increase in 15N-leucine between t=0 and t=5 hours in the contralateral (p<0.05) hippocampus, but not in the ipsilateral hippocampus (p=ns.). DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: This study demonstrated for the first time that basal glutamine concentrations are low in areas of the brain where GS is acutely inhibited, and that leucine uptake in these brain areas are markedly decreased. Perturbations in glutamine and leucine homeostasis have been implicated in several disease processes including diabetes, obesity, liver disease, immune system dysfunction, epilepsy, and cancer, and the glutamine-dependent leucine influx in the brain may be a novel and important therapeutic target to treat these conditions.

Despite the significant health disparities experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations, few investigators affiliated with the National Institutes of Health-funded Clinical and Translational Science Award Programs are conducting research related to this underserved population. We provide recommendations shared during a half-day workshop aimed at increasing researcher readiness to conduct LGBT research. This workshop was presented as part of a series on conducting research with underserved populations offered by the Recruitment, Retention, and Community Engagement Program of the Center for Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Six LGBT health research experts provided focused presentations. The workshop presentations included a summary of significant health inequality issues, theoretical models relevant to research on LGBT health, best practices in measuring sexual orientation and gender identity, recommendations for recruitment and retention, a discussion of community engagement, and ethical considerations in conducting LGBT research. We provide a summary of recommendations to guide future research, training, and public policy related to LGBT health. The information can increase capacity among Clinical and Translational Science Award affiliated researchers in conducting research in this special population.

The fifth in a 5-part series on the clinical and translational sciences educational pipeline, this paper focuses on strategies for developing leadership capacity among senior faculty and administrators responsible for clinical and translational science (CTS) research. Although progression in academic rank recognizes scientific excellence in research or scholarship, neither disciplinary training nor experience alone prepare senior faculty for the leadership challenges they inevitably face. Yet these faculty are increasingly responsible for multidisciplinary teams working within complex organizations with unclear or conflicting incentives that demand innovation. In academic health centers with Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs), investing in leadership often includes career development support in the CTSA education and training pillar programs. Only a few CTSAs have taken an intentional approach to developing senior leadership capacity, however, and still fewer have focused specifically on building such capacity for current CTS leaders within the context of a growing emphasis on team science. This manuscript explains the need for senior leadership training and describes an established example of such a program, the year-long Leadership for Innovative Team Science program for senior CTS researchers at the University of Colorado. The development of the program over time, topical elements, and participant perspectives are provided.

Clinical and translational science is vitally dependent on the nation’s underlying health-care policies and programs. In a reciprocal fashion, data generated by clinical and translational research can inform both health policy and health-care delivery. It is important, therefore, to rate health reform proposals comprehensively on a set of criteria that reflect the broad goals of reform, including the potential impact on clinical and translational science and medical education. I propose that the criteria include achieving universal coverage, reducing administrative costs, retaining one’s chosen primary care physician, encouraging care coordination, empowering physicians, freeing industry from choosing and administering health plans, providing choice of specialists and hospitals, providing patient education, preventing patient overuse of services, rationalizing resource allocation, encouraging competition, limiting government’s role, supporting medical education, training, and research, and freeing industry to make personnel decisions based on business criteria rather than the impact on health-care costs to the company. I discuss the rationale for each element and offer a rating of current proposals relative to a proposal previously made.

Community engagement is considered essential to effectively translate research into practice and is increasingly recognized as a key to successful clinical trial recruitment. Challenges to engaging community stakeholders in research persist and new methods are needed to facilitate meaningful stakeholder involvement. The Community Engagement Studio (CE Studio), a consultative model, has been used at every stage of the research process. Best practices drawn from the model could inform other methods of engagement. Using a mixed-methods approach that included evaluation surveys, impact surveys and interviews, we assessed the CE Studio program. We analyzed data from 75 CE Studios; 65 researchers and 591 community members completed surveys and 10 researchers completed interviews. Surveys indicate that 100% of researchers would request a CE Studio in the future, and 99.3% of community members would participate in a CE Studio again. We identified 6 practices to enhance community engagement in clinical and translational research: early input, researcher coaching, researcher humility, balancing power, neutral facilitator, and preparation of community stakeholders. These best practices may enhance the quality of existing community engagement approaches and improve the effectiveness of translational researchers’ efforts to engage community stakeholders in their work.