South Middlesex Times

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded the Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science $39,673,786 over seven years to build and improve upon infrastructure that promotes clinical and translational science through the New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science (NJ ACTS).

"The new $39.7 million NJ ACTS grant marks a pivotal moment for Rutgers Health, providing unprecedented support over seven years to drive clinical translational science forward," said Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences Chancellor Brian Strom, who leads Rutgers Health.

"It is inspiring to think about how we were able, as a community, to create alliances among academic institutions and clinical, state and community partners, to further clinical and translational research and training that did not exist in the state prior to our award in 2019," said Reynold Panettieri, vice chancellor for translational medicine and science and director of the Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science.

The initial grant that formed NJ ACTS proved essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. "The infrastructure enabled us to pull together a response team and lead influential research studies during the pandemic," said Panettieri.

Under the 2019 grant, NJ ACTS:

- Established and implemented a Clinical Research Data Warehouse.

- Built a robust pilot program.

- Developed the Clinical Research Coordinator Badge Program.

- Supported the career development of junior faculty, predoctoral, and postdoctoral trainees.

The new grant will further advance this framework for translational science in the state, focusing on launching and promoting clinical trials, building networks for community-engaged research, and bolstering diverse workforce development.