Finding solutions to clinical and translational roadblocks is a considerable part of our job. In collaboration with the Center for Leading Innovation and Collaboration (CLIC), we have organized our two Un-Meetings for this year. These Un-meetings will focus on two broad topics where we need some insightful mind power to address current and future directions.
On March 2nd 2020 at Northwestern University in Chicago, we will be discussing a focus of the CTSA program through An Un-Meeting on Lifespan and Life Course Research: Integrating Strategies. The goal is to explore lifespan and lifecourse research tools and strategies on how to integrate populations in research throughout the lifespan, from fetal development to childhood, to transition from childhood to adult, and then to geriatrics. Potential topics include early markers and risk factors for disease, how to prevent or provide early treatment, and how to collect and maintain key health data throughout life. For more information about this Un-meeting click here.
Later, on May 30th 2020, the University of Rochester is organizing the Approaches to Evaluate Non-Pharmacological Interventions in Clinical Research Un-meeting. The goal will be to explore ideas and methods for evaluations of non-pharmacological interventions. Both the scientific literature and the popular press are flooded with conflicting reports from studies of non-pharmacological interventions in areas such as nutrition, nutraceuticals, physical therapy, behavior change, and other similar and/or complementary medicines. This may be in part because current designs, statistical methods, and pathways may not always be appropriate for evaluating validity and utility in these cases. In addition, in many cases, the necessary size of classical RCTs for statistical power may preclude such studies from ever being undertaken Topics for this Un-Meeting will focus on identifying challenges and potential solutions. Travel stipends can still be requested to CLIC by following this link.
We hope to have many minds “tackle” creatively these two broad topics. See you there!
Dr. K
Michael G. Kurilla, M.D., Ph.D.
Director of the Division of Clinical Innovation, NCATS
- CTSA Program
- un-meeting