I am honored to be named director of NCRR and welcome the opportunity to work with my very talented and dedicated colleagues as we capitalize on NCRR’s long-standing investments in clinical and translational science.
The NCRR budget of greater than $1 billion enables investigators throughout the country to conduct research that ranges from basic and clinical projects to community outreach and education. One of the key ways in which NCRR ensures support to biomedical researchers in all geographic areas across the nation is through the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program, which is featured in this issue of the NCRR Reporter.
This program was developed to provide support for training and research in states that have historically received a relatively low amount of NIH funding due to the challenges of serving rural or dispersed populations. By funding faculty development and enhanced infrastructure, the IDeA program fosters health-related research and improves the competitiveness of investigators at research institutions in 23 states, ranging from Alaska to Vermont and North Dakota to Mississippi, as well as Puerto Rico. As you’ll read in the article that follows, the program provides research opportunities, science education, and economic development and extends high-speed connectivity to IDeA grantee institutions to facilitate research collaborations.
It is this kind of support and outreach that is integral to our efforts as we transform clinical and translational research across the complete spectrum of NCRR programs. Central to this effort, I look forward to the ongoing development of the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) programa national consortium of academic health centers that will transform the conduct of clinical and translational research. Through the CTSA consortium, the IDeA program, and many other collaborations and networks, NCRR will continue to integrate its programs, bring together innovative research teams, and leverage the power of shared resourcesmultiplying the opportunities to improve human health.
Barbara Alving, M.D.
Director, NCRR
Information about Barbara Alving’s appointment as NCRR Director can be found in “News from NCRR.