ACTS offers its members the opportunity to participate in Special Interest Groups (SIGs). SIGs are groups of translational scientists working in focus areas of clinical research and translational science. These professional networks collaborate to advance their discipline, sharing knowledge and resources with themselves and the NCATS consortium. Moreover, SIGs serve as mentorship resources to junior faculty to enhance professional development.
Don't see a SIG that matches your domain in translational science? Know other peers across the consortium who would want to participate? Download an application to propose a new SIG here.
Join a Special Interest Group
Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD)
The BERD SIG provides a forum for the exchange of information on current approaches to the integration of biostatistics, epidemiology, and research design into clinical and translational science research programs.
This encompasses integration in both the practice of research as well as in training and education. It also serves as a resource for connecting the biostatistics, epidemiology and research methods community to the broader spectrum of clinical and translational scientists (e.g. trainees, CTSA principal investigators, and clinical research coordinators) through activities such as the development and maintenance of professional networks and online materials.
Chair: Manisha Desai
Launch BERD SIG Community
Clinical Research Professional Taskforce (CRPT)
The Clinical Research Professional Taskforce (CRPT) provides an ongoing forum for deliberate and meaningful discussions around the multifaceted, expanding role of clinical research professionals and highlights issues surrounding their support and training. The group also considers, develops, and presents data. Recent efforts have involved bringing together national experts to discuss emergent issues in hiring, on-boarding and managing and supporting career growth of clinical research professionals.
Chairs: Shirley Helm and Michelle Jenkerson
Launch CRPT SIG Community
Coaching Programs
The SIG will explore, develop and promote the use of coaching to support professional development, team science, and well-being for faculty and staff working in clinical and translational science. The SIG will provide opportunity for shared learning, collaboration, scholarship, and innovation related to coaching programming across CTSAs.
Chairs: Lauren Jodi Van Scoy, Dale Fallon, Sarah Horvath
Launch COACHING SIG Community
Evaluation
The Evaluation SIG examines the role that evaluation plays in organizations that are pursuing the changes necessary to advance clinical and translational science.
Participants share their perspective on how evaluation can contribute to accountability, transparency, informed decision making, communication about outcomes, and ultimately, the value of substantial investment in clinical and translational science.
Chairs: Joe Hunt and Jessica Sperling
Launch Evaluation SIG Community
Informatics
The Informatics Special Interest Group is a forum for the cross-institutional exchange of information on current approaches to the integration of informatics into clinical and translational science research programs. It also promotes best practices of integrating modern informatics methods in translational science journals and forums, specifically the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science (JCTS) journals thereby increasing the scalability and rigor of translational science, its trainees and investigators.
Chair: Jiang Bian
Launch Informatics SIG Community
Partners for the Advancement of Community Engaged Research (PACER)
The PACER SIG brings together community and academic researchers to explore topics and issues important to building community-academic research partnerships and improving public health through research.
Meetings provide dissemination opportunities about community engaged research, metrics and evaluation, as well as a foundation for networking and collaboration among individuals and groups variously engaged in clinical and translational research.
Chairs: Linda Cottler and Heather Kitzman
Launch PACER SIG Community
Regulatory Science
The ACTS Regulatory Science SIG convenes members around key topics and challenges that affect or involve all aspects of regulatory science as it intersects with the practice of clinical and translational science. Specifically, the SIG provides a critical space for ACTS members to become and remain informed about current policy, including changes and shifts within the regulatory and policy landscapes over time. At this time, the SIG aims to convene members along key priority and evolving topics that include: the role of AI and digital technologies in regulatory science and clinical/translational research; the importance of regulatory considerations from early-stage innovation through late-stage clinical research; promoting and expanding training opportunities in regulatory science; identifying and allocating shared infrastructure and other resources and best practices; and addressing ethical and regulatory challenges in tailoring interventions to specific communities. Importantly, the SIG aims to establish best practices to support communication of clinical and translational science to the public and policymakers and help members navigate broader systemic issues at the intersection of regulatory and translational science.
Chairs: Rachele Hendricks Sturrup, Josh Fessel
Launch REGULATORY SIG Community
Research Operations and Administration (ROA)
The Research Operations and Administration SIG provides a venue for networking, idea sharing, problem solving and building partnerships among administrators.
Chair: Elizabeth Fortune
Launch ROA SIG Community
Scholar
The Scholar SIG provides trainees and other early-career scholars with experiences and opportunities to advance their careers in academia, industry, government, and/or entrepreneurship in the fields of clinical and translational science.
Chairs: Adriana Morales Gomez and Olayinka Shiyanbola
Launch Scholar SIG Community
Team Science Professionals (TSP)
The primary goal of the ACTS Team Science Professionals SIG is to advance the practice of translational team science by developing a career pathway for team science professionals—both educators and scholars. By training the next generation of Team Science experts, we anticipate our SIG will provide key insights into the barriers and facilitators of effective team science, enhancing the performance of translational teams and, ultimately, the practice of translational science itself.
Chairs: Allan Brasier, Kristine Glauber, Madison Hartstein, and Whitney Sweeney
LAUNCH TSP SIG COMMUNITY
Translational & Integrative Engagement in Research (TIER)
The Translational and Integrative Engagement in Research (TIER) SIG seeks to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into practical solutions that improves health for all groups and segments of the population. Through cross-disciplinary collaboration, rigorous methodology, and meaningful engagement with communities and stakeholders, we aim to advance research that respectfully engages all Americans.
Chairs: Leigh Johnson and VJ Periyakoil
Launch TIER SIG Community
Training Research Education Administrators in Translational Science (TREATS)
The Training Research Education Administrators in Translational Science SIG provides an opportunity for non-faculty education and career development administrators to share best practices and mentorship. It focuses on topics that are relevant to education administrators, such as evaluation, mentoring, and innovation in training programs.
Chairs: Stuart Hobbs and Donna Adams
Launch TREATS SIG Community