As the principal U.S. institution of higher education engaged in biomedical and biobehavioral research within the Pacific basin, the University of Hawaii (UH) seeks support from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) for a Research Centers in Minority Institutions Infrastructure (RCMI) for Clinical and Translational Research (RCTR) award through PAR-09-261. Through the RCTR award, we propose to establish the RCMI Multidisciplinary and Translational Research Infrastructure Expansion in Hawaii (RMATRIX Hawaii or RMATRIX) as the integrated "home" for clinical and translational science in the State of Hawaii. In collaboration with the RCMI Translational Research Network (RTRN), Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, and with institutional, community-based, and private partners, we seek to reorganize and expand the existing RCMI clinical and translational research infrastructure at UH.

The proposed RMATRIX Key Functions have been carefully designed to provide the clinical and translational research infrastructure to expand the HEALTH Initiatives to address health disparities throughout the state. Through the Key Functions and HEALTH investigative teams, RMATRIX will provide essential tools and collaboration to support basic, clinical and translational researchers throughout the state. Given that UH and its Community Collaborators have considerable basic and "bench to bedside" translational research experience in each of the HEALTH Initiatives, collaboration with RTRN translational researchers and investigators at Clinical Translational Science Award (CTSA) associated institutions will also be sought in these six thematic areas.

We will accomplish our broad objective of creating an integrated home for clinical and translational research in Hawaii through the establishment and coordination of infrastructure that comprises functions which include: 1) Overall Approach and Governance;2) Collaborations and Partnerships;3) Multidisciplinary Research Education, Training and Career Development;4) Biomedical Informatics and Biostatistics;5) Participant and Clinical Resources;6) Ethics and Regulatory Support;7) Evaluation.

U54RR026136

2010-09-16

2013-06-30