The mission of CUMC’s Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) is to transform the culture of research to accelerate the discovery and implementation of new treatments and prevention strategies. CUMC is accomplishing this goal by establishing the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, which is the academic home for patient oriented research. The Irving Institute faculty include some of CUMC’s most senior researchers, who provide leadership and mentoring to junior faculty, fellows, and trainees. Specially-appointed junior faculty, the "Irving Fellows," work with senior faculty to develop novel approaches to advancing multi- and interdisciplinary clinical and translational research. The 10 key resources of the Irving Institute include support in biomedical informatics, study design and biostatistics, bioethics, regulatory issues, and core laboratory facilities, among others.
CUMC is planning to develop new space for the Irving Institute to house researchers as well as trainees, and a new off-campus center to support community-based clinical and translational research.
As part of the CTSA program, CUMC has created an integrated educational program that includes a multidisciplinary patient oriented research Master's program, a novel mentored research program, and a predoctoral certificate n patient oriented research.
Our core objective is to move the CUMC research community to a more multi- and interdisciplinary scientific mindset by removing barriers and creating incentives for interactions among investigators from different disciplines. By harnessing the collective talents of diverse senior faculty at the schools of medicine, public health, nursing, dentistry, and the graduate school of arts and sciences, as well as community partners, the Irving Institute serves as CUMC’s intellectual and physical hub for the next generation of clinical and translational investigators who will approach complex health questions using multidisciplinary approaches, thus achieving our ultimate goal: to enable faster, more effective detection and utilization of research advances to benefit patients and the community.
The main Irving Institute facility occupies the entire 10th floor of two contiguous buildings, the Presbyterian Hospital and the Harkness Pavilion. This space was originally dedicated when the Irving Center for Clinical Research was established in 1987. The total physical space occupied by the new Irving Institute is approximately 25,000 square feet comprising Adult Inpatient and Outpatient Units, an administrative suite, a fully-equipped 400-square-foot conference room, and a Bionutrition Unit that houses a research kitchen. Five thousand square feet of laboratory and office space—the former Irving Center Core Laboratory - has become the Biomarkers Core in the new Institute. In addition, a Pediatric Outpatient Unit is located in the nearby Vanderbilt Clinic building.
The Irving Institute is made up of 10 key resources that are available to the CUMC research community.
