Clinical & Translational Science Institute / Stories / Letter from the Co-Directors: Early 2025

Letter from the Co-Directors: Early 2025

Research Impact

Karen Wilson and Martin Zand in the Saunders Research Building The UR CTSI supports clinical and translational researchers across URMC. Our mission is supported by highly qualified faculty and researchers who make important contributions to their fields—researchers like Edwin van Wijngaarden, PhD, strategic director of the Research Education and Career Development branch.

Van Wijngaarden led the Seychelles Child Development Study to better understand how mercury exposure through fish consumption affects child development. His findings indicated that omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients found in fish may counteract the negative effects of exposure to mercury. His research may have a big impact on public health guidelines.

Dongmei Li, PhD, and Zidian Xie, PhD, of the Informatics and Analytics branch, recently published new research in Scientific Reports examining the link between e-cigarette use and cancer. Working with Irfan Rahman, PhD, professor of Environmental Medicine, and Sadiya Bi Shaikh, PhD, they produced work that will lead to further investigations into the health impacts of e-cigarette use. Li appeared on WROC to discuss this important research.

In both high-profile studies, funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was instrumental in ensuring research success. Like so many other Clinical and Translational Science Award Program hubs around the country, we are grateful for the historic and long-lasting support of the NIH’s grant programs.

We are currently awaiting approval of our UM1 grant application to the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). This grant will fund our translational science and research activities for a seven-year period, set to begin this summer. Like so many others working in research at URMC and nationally, we are closely monitoring new policy and guidance emerging from federal agencies, including NCATS and the NIH. The University has a page dedicated to providing updates to the research community on how these changes are affecting operations. Please visit the Federal Policy Changes page for the latest.

Rural Health in Focus

We are celebrating the launch of a new project to test whether trusted messengers in rural schools can help improve the rates of non-mandated vaccinations among student populations. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this new project, led by Cynthia Rand, MD, MPH, of the Department of Pediatrics, adapts the Theater for Vaccine Hesitancy developed by Strategic Director John Cullen, PhD, of the Population Health branch. The outreach provides training for workers in rural schools and communities to educate students and their parents about HPV and flu vaccines so they can make informed decisions about their health.

We are expanding our efforts to reach rural populations through support for research into preventing chronic disease, offering cancer education, and increasing vaccination rates. Successful outreach methods including teleresearch and decentralized clinical trials, leveraging and expanding the Greater Rochester Practice-Based Research Network, and building connections with partner groups will be key to reaching individuals and communities across the Western New York area.

New Faces and Milestones at UR CTSI

We have brought on new staff to better provide exceptional research support to URMC. We welcomed Chris Benway to the OnCore team in the Office of Clinical Research, improving our support for that critical platform. Andrew Sherow joined us as a Continuous Quality Improvement evaluator, brought on to find ways to help us reach higher standards of operation. We are also welcoming two new CRC trainees: Charon McKnight and James Williams.

Several UR CTSI members are celebrating educational milestones as well, with Anthony Corbitt and Jen Dutra completing their MS degrees in Data Science, and Sanjukta Bandyopadhyay looking forward to earning an MBA in May. Congratulations!

We wish to recognize the appointment of Zidian Xie, PhD, as research assistant professor of Clinical and Translational Research. Xie has been a key member of the Informatics and Analytics Branch and this faculty appointment is well-deserved. Dongmei Li, PhD, received tenure on February 1. Congratulations to both terrific researchers.

We are also happy to share the good news that Karen Wilson, MD, MPH (co-director and co-author of this letter) will be the president-elect for the Academic Pediatric Association in April. She is looking forward to leading this organization as it supports the academic success and career development of medical professionals working in child health.

Alfred Vitale, PhD, operations director for the Research Education and Career Development branch, has recently accepted a position at the Mayo Clinic. Vitale’s contributions to UR CTSI and the University have made both places better for students, research teams, and coworkers alike. Best of luck, Alfred! The Mayo Clinic is lucky to have you.

Finally, we want to recognize Ann Miller, RN, MS, CCRC, nurse manager for the Clinical Research Center (CRC), who recently celebrated 40 years of service at URMC. Ann has worked as an RN across URMC and has been active in clinical research since 1993 when she joined the General Clinical Research Center, later known as the Clinical Research Center. Ann is an alumna of the School of Nursing, having earned her Master of Science in Leadership Health Care Systems in 2005, and has demonstrated a commitment to this institution that few can match.

Her leadership at the CRC has improved the lives of countless study subjects and positively impacted research projects that have gone on to make a difference in the health and wellbeing of so many. Congratulations, Ann, for 40 years of excellence!

Sincerely,