Furthermore, proposals that advance translation of new discovery along the critical path of development, safety, & quality are essential. At University of Kentucky, we have particular strength in Drug Development, including one of only two University-based, FDA registered sterile product manufacturing facilities. In addition, the well developed clinical and educational networks reaching in the rural community of Appalachia and across the state provide fertile ground for development of strategies to assess best practice initiatives.

Key concerns of the UK CCTS are developing a pipeline of new investigators and mentors, promoting a culture of transdisciplinary research, increasing external funding towards the goal of achieving Top 20 research status to improve the economic health of Kentucky, and most importantly enhancing research that facilitates translation to practice and improves the health of Kentucky’s citizens. Many of Kentucky’s citizens suffer from socioeconomic deprivation and preventable illness, particularly in the eastern Kentucky Appalachian communities served by the University of Kentucky and our Centers for Rural Health where 28% of Kentuckians reside. Kentucky leads the nation in smoking and cancer deaths, and has among the highest rates of drug and alcohol abuse, intimate partner violence, obesity, arthritis, and diabetes. Resources for Pilot Studies & Novel and Translational Technologies will allow us to address these concerns.

Specific aims of the Pilot and Collaborative Translational and Clinical Studies key function to be evaluated by performance metrics are: