Four institutions form Healthy Idaho Clinical and Translational Research Development Program with $10.7 million from NIH

Boise State University, Idaho State University, University of Idaho and the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center are joining forces to address the significant need for clinical and translational health research in the State of Idaho.

Through a five-year, $10.7 million National Institutes of Health grant awarded to Boise State University and co-led with Idaho State University, the four partnering institutions will form the Healthy Idaho Clinical and Translational Research Development (CTR-D) program and will work with health systems and community health centers across Idaho.

As a state with no public medical school, geographically dispersed universities and health systems, and disparities in health and healthcare delivery between rural and urban populations, the Healthy Idaho CTR-D will build a foundation that supports clinical and translational research, workforce development and infrastructure enhancements to address the health needs of Idahoans.

"This is really exciting because it's a statewide effort to find out what are the biggest health concerns to people in Idaho," said project lead and Boise State professor Cheryl Jorcyk, a professor of biological sciences and the director for clinical and translational research. "Together, we can establish Idaho's first practice-based research network, as well as a safe, secure and HIPAA-compliant environment at Boise State to handle sensitive health data. We will be able to support professional development around clinical research, and to fund research by granting pilot awards for exciting clinical research projects around the state."

The program will also team up with clinical affiliates including St. Luke's Health System, Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Kootenai Health, and the Idaho Community Health Center Association that represents 15 Community Health Centers throughout the state. Medical students from the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Idaho WWAMI (Washington-Wyoming-Alaska-Montana-Idaho) Medical Education Program will also provide support.

"Most of Idaho's universities conduct research in basic biomedical sciences in benchtop laboratories with limited clinical context," said Idaho State University co-lead Karl Madaras-Kelly, a professor within the College of Pharmacy and infectious disease researcher. "Currently, Idaho's universities interact with health care systems through placement of trainees and clinical faculty within healthcare systems, but produce graduates with limited exposure to clinical research. Building collaborations across academic and health care systems is vital to translate basic discoveries from Idaho's universities into the health care practices of tomorrow."

"The Boise VA Medical Center is excited to be a key partner in the Healthy Idaho CTR-D program," said Dr. Ken Kunisaki, director of clinical and translational research at the Boise VA Medical Center. "We are a major training center for Idaho's health care workforce, and we look forward to expanding access to leading-edge innovations to improve the health of our veterans and the people of Idaho."

The Healthy Idaho CTR-D Program is a pivotal next step to increase collaborative and multidisciplinary research across institutions, expand the clinical and translational research workforce through mentorship and training, and develop the infrastructure needed to support community-based research.

"This new award leverages Boise State's existing biomedical research and elevates Boise State's leadership in advancing health innovation. Advancing Idaho's clinical and translational research trajectory through collaboration with such valued partners and National Institutes of Health support is crucial to meeting the health needs of Idahoans across the state," said Nancy Glenn, Boise State's vice president for research and economic development. "We are proud to help ensure that Idaho's research directly advances the health and well-being of communities across the state."

"The Healthy Idaho CTR-D represents an exciting and transformative opportunity for our state," said Dr. Russell Baker, interim co-director of the School of Health and Medical Programs (SHAMP) and Associate Director of Medical Research for Idaho WWAMI. "The University of Idaho's School of Health and Medical Professions (SHAMP) and the Idaho WWAMI Medical Education Program are proud to be part of this statewide collaboration, which will advance clinical and translational research while enhancing health professions training across Idaho. Through this initiative, our faculty and students, including those in WWAMI, will engage directly in hands-on research, mentoring, and training. Together, we will strengthen Idaho's healthcare and research workforce, support innovation in rural health, and improve the wellbeing of communities throughout our state."

This NIH funding stems from the Institutional Development Award (IDeA), a congressionally mandated program that builds research capacity in eligible states, builds upon prior successes, including Boise State's awarded Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) and IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) with University of Idaho and Idaho State University.

"The University of Idaho has been working to improve the biomedical ecosystem for many years through collaborative programs such as NIH INBRE and has led physician training through SHAMP and WWAMI," said Christopher Nomura, University of Idaho vice president for research and economic development. "The Healthy Idaho CTR-D award represents yet another way that our universities are working together and will allow us to begin addressing statewide needs and collective capacity to improve clinical and translational research."

"The NIH CTR-D award is a significant milestone for Idaho," said Martin Blair, vice president for research and economic development at Idaho State University. "It provides critical resources to accelerate health-related research, enabling Idaho's universities to translate groundbreaking discoveries into tangible health improvements for Idaho citizens. This will foster innovation, enhance the state's research infrastructure, and ultimately lead to a healthier future for Idaho."

Idaho is the fifth Institutional Development Award (IDeA) eligible state to receive a National Institutes of Health (NIH) award to support a CTR-D Program.

Objectives of the grant will be administered through the creation of four cores. The Professional Development core will provide training and mentoring resources to strengthen grant competitiveness. The Community Engagement core will work directly with community leaders to identify pressing health priorities within Idaho and with healthcare entities to develop and pilot a Practice Based Research Network where clinical studies can be conducted, including rural Idaho.

The Research Design and Data Compliance core will provide investigators with assistance in study design and biostatistics support and, importantly, access to patient data. Lastly, the Health Research core will evaluate, provide feedback and recommend selected proposals for funding to advance clinical and translational research.

Internal support for this award includes Division of Research and Economic Development staff members in the Center for Research and Creative Activity, and Office of Sponsored Programs personnel, including, but not limited to: Ella Christiansen, Cara Greenlee, Jen Lutke, Erin Keen and Jessie Esbensen; Ariana Azar-Farr, Mackenzie Cabot, Nick Vita; John Babcock, Jessica Foxworthy and Sandi Yorita.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award Number P20GM155898. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

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