ACTS Connection

April 2023

Issue 2

Letter From the JCTS Editor: Meeting Time

We have just completed the Translational Science 2023 meeting and we all have had a chance to meet up with a lot of friends and colleagues. The meeting attracted some 1,200 attendees, of which a large number attended for the first time. The setting provided a familiar return to Washington, DC, allowing a robust representation from federal agencies relevant to translational science as well as the possibility to learn more of the funding system for research. For the first time, together with our publisher Cambridge University Press, JCTS arranged an Intro to Publishing workshop with the aim of introducing colleagues interested in submitting to the journal to the peer review and publication process. We are eager to get feedback from this workshop to see how we can refine this for future meetings. Another first at the meeting was the inaugural JCTS Publication Award that was presented to Felicity Enders, PhD at the Mayo Clinic. The award committee received a large number of nominations and we encourage everyone to identify publications that might be candidates for awards in future years. As the JCTS Editor-in-Chief, I am very pleased by the strong support from ACTS in establishing this award which highlights the close relationship between the journal and the Association. Overall, the TS23 meeting was very well attended and we all should congratulate the organizing committee for a job well done.

I also want to remind everyone that although the deadline for a number of our thematic issues have closed, we are always open to discussions regarding any additional contributions. We have extended the deadline for the Well-Being in Clinical and Translational Science thematic issue to mid-May and we look forward to receiving additional submissions. The thematic issue on Integration of Social Determinants to Health in Clinical and Translational Science is open for submissions until the end of July. We also expect to launch additional calls for thematic issues in the coming months. At the same time, the journal remains open as a home for a wide variety of manuscripts related to clinical and translational science beyond thematic issues. Also, as in previous years, the abstracts for poster presentations at TS23 will be published in JCTS and we encourage everyone to consider developing these into full manuscripts and to consider JCTS for such submissions. Our Editorial Board and our Associate Editors are committed to ensuring that all manuscripts are processed as quickly as possible as we recognize the importance of responding to submitting authors. We also want to thank our growing cadre of committed reviewers for their excellent contributions and their constructive advice to authors.

On this note we wish everyone a continued productive and enjoyable spring and we look forward to continuing to be a resource for all researchers in the clinical and translational science field.

Lars Berglund, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Clinical and Translational Science (JCTS)

Translational Science 2023: Thank You For Attending!

Translational Science 2023 took place April 18-20 in Washington, DC.

This year's event was full of great networking, educational sessions, and opportunities to present new and exciting research. Thank you to everyone that attended and shared and we look forward to seeing you next year April 3-5, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada for Translational Science 2024!

News From the Hill: April 25, 2023

In mid-April, nearly 250 volunteer advocates participated in the Coalition for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS) 2023 Capitol Hill Advocacy Day. Advocates represented 32 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, and visited the offices of their House Representatives and U.S. Senators.

The CCTS advocacy visits were well-timed as Congress is currently making key decisions about Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 funding levels for federal medical research and public health programs. 

Read more on the ACTS Advocacy page.

44th Annual Meeting of the Society for Clinical Trials

Registration is now open for the 44th Annual Meeting of the Society for Clinical Trials “Championing High-quality Evidence to Optimize Human Health," taking place May 21-24, 2023 in Baltimore, MD.

The Annual Meeting of the Society for Clinical Trials is a multidisciplinary program with broad participation. The meeting brings together the clinical trials community from academia, the pharmaceutical and device industries, government agencies, medical groups and centers and clinical research entities.

More information can be obtained on the event website and the event flyer.

Member Highlights

Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized for outstanding or groundbreaking work? Is your institution embarking on an exciting project? Send ACTS your story to be highlighted in future issues of the ACTS Connection.

Submit stories here.

Career Center

The ACTS Career Center is the premier resource for connecting those in the field of translational science with career opportunities. Visit today to find a wealth of resources to help achieve your career goals.

ACTS members receive a 50% discount on the site—use code ACTSMEMBER to save!

Translational Science Today

UAMS' Laura James, M.D., Re-Elected to National Science Board

View Larger Image She joins 13 other directors at large from National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program institutions across the United States. She was first elected to the board in 2020. James has been director of the Translational Research Institute since 2014 and is UAMS associate vice chancellor for Clinical and Translational Research.

Read more