Irving Institute Participates in Clinical Trials Day Fair 2026

The Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research participated in the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Clinical Trials Day Fair on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Vivian and Seymour Heart Center Riverview Terrace inside Milstein Hospital. 

Held from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m., the event brought together members of the broader Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian community to recognize the people and teams who make clinical research possible. More than 100 attendees were expected throughout the day, including investigators, research nurses, clinical research coordinators, laboratory scientists, regulatory and operations staff, trainees, patients, caregivers, and institutional partners. 

The event was designed as a recognition-centered, community-building celebration. Its purpose was to honor the many roles behind research, strengthen relationships across disciplines, and foster pride in ethical, people-centered clinical research. 

Short presentations were held throughout the afternoon. The program began with a welcome by Mary R. Welch, MD, Course Director of the Clinical Trials Training Program, followed by presentations from the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and the Columbia Initiative in Cell Engineering and Therapy (CICET). 

At the fair, the Irving Institute shared information about services that support clinical and translational research across Columbia. Attendees learned about the Institute’s role in supporting researchers, staff, trainees, and community partners across the CUIMC and NewYork-Presbyterian community. 

The Community Engagement Core Resource (CECR) highlighted its support for public engagement in translational health research. The team shared information about consultation services, community partnerships, STAR Ambassadors, and guidance for community-engaged research design and implementation. CECR also spoke with attendees about the Columbia Community Partnership for Health (CCPH), a free off-campus space in Washington Heights that supports community, research, and health-related activities. Materials highlighted available rooms for focus groups, interviews, consultations, trainings, and other small-group activities, as well as access to audiovisual equipment, Wi-Fi, and a bilingual health library. 

A short video also highlighted recent upgrades to the CCPH space, offering attendees a closer look at how CCPH supports community, research, and health-related activities in Washington Heights. 

Attendees also learned about resources available to internal Columbia staff and members who support clinical research coordination, including tools for Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) onboarding, compliance training guidance, instructor-led onboarding sessions, community engagement training, and Clinical Research Operations Workforce Network (CROWN) Teams, a network that connects CRCs across CUIMC. 

STAR Ambassadors presented information about ARC XVI Fort Washington’s WHIST program, which provides transportation support for older adults and people with disabilities in Washington Heights, Inwood, and the Bronx. The program helps community members access medical visits, food pantries, pharmacies, cultural and social events, and group trips. 

Together, the fair offered an opportunity to celebrate clinical research while connecting attendees with practical resources that support researchers, staff, patients, caregivers, and community partners.