OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Develop a strategy to restrict GDNF diffusion at an injected CNS tissue site for dopamine neuron rescue by endowing it with binding affinity for carbohydrates that are abundant on the cell surface and extracellular matrix. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: GDNF will be fused to galectin-3 (G3), a human protein that binds to β-galactoside residues of cell surface and matrix glycoproteins. We characterized the binding of G3 fusion proteins to various glycoproteins and primary human myeloid cells. We incubated G3 fusions with CNS tissue ex vivo to measure their binding and depth of penetration via diffusion. We next plan to administer GDNF-G3 via CNS intracranial infusion in a murine PD model and then conduct behavioral PD phenotype testing via rotarod and pole descent to compare to non-parkinsonian controls. We will further examine the effects of GDNF-G3 on degeneration using immunohistochemical examination of post-mortem brain tissue. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Based on results from previous clinical trials of GDNF delivery, we anticipate that a successful intervention using GDNF-G3 will result in rescue of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in a murine PD model. In murine CNS tissue, we observed binding to glycans at the tissue surfaces when incubated with G3 fusion proteins ex vivo, suggesting GDNF-G3 will remain localized to the injection site. Next we will administer GDNF-G3 via CNS intracranial infusion in a murine PD model and assess efficacy by behavior and histopathology. GDNF-G3-mediated dopamine neuron rescue are expected to slow or reverse the progression of PD in these animal models. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: PD treatments focus on symptomatic relief. Standard therapies have not been efficacious in rescuing of dopaminergic neurons. GDNF-G3 administered at the site of neurodegeneration would represent a milestone on the path to treating PD pathology and address limitations of GDNF delivery.

In this report, we describe the implementation and short-term outcomes of a Special Populations Consultation Service within the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). With the goal of increasing the quality and quantity of special population (SP) research, the UCLA CTSI Integrating Special Populations program designed a consultation service to support faculty and trainees conducting research involving one of three CTSI “special populations:” children, older adults, and/or minority; underserved; or health disparity populations. The Special Populations Consultation Service offers three types of activities: grant proposal studios, career consultations, and project reviews. UCLA CTSI faculty with appropriate content expertise serve as consultants. We evaluated this consultation model using satisfaction surveys and by quantifying funded grants and reported changes in career goals in SP research. Between 2016 and 2019, the Special Populations Consultation Service provided 59 consultations including 42 grant studios and was used by researchers at all levels from all four UCLA CTSI institutions. Recipients rated the consultations very highly. Funding success rates were 57% following K-level grant studios and 28% following R-level grant studios. Users of project and career consultations commonly attributed career accomplishments in part to their consultation experiences. The SP Consultation Service is feasible and acceptable and appears to enhance careers of investigators studying special populations.

A collaborative research model was developed and tested to enable regional healthcare systems to join multisite clinical trials emanating from the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Trial Innovation Network (TIN) by the Institute of Translational Health Sciences at the University of Washington and the Northwest Participant and Clinical Interactions (NW PCI) Network. The NW PCI is a collaborative group of regional research programs located at medical centers, healthcare systems, and universities across Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. This article describes the purpose, development, barriers, and initial experience with feasibility assessment for TIN-supported studies in the NW PCI. The tools and processes of the NW PCI Network were adapted to enable network sites to assess studies for clinical relevance and feasibility. Seven of seventeen TIN-supported studies were reviewed for consideration; three of which resulted in successful completion of study documentation for site selection by NW PCI sites. The NW PCI/TIN model can be adapted by other CTSAs to increase involvement of regional research programs in national multisite clinical research studies. Barriers to expanding TIN-supported trials to regional networks include short timelines for study document submissions, insufficient site reimbursement rates, and non-feasible study designs.

Although several initiatives have produced core competency domains for training the translational science workforce, training resources to help clinical research professionals advance these skills reside primarily within local departments or institutions. The Development, Implementation, and AssessMent of Novel Training in Domain (DIAMOND) project was designed to make this training more readily and publicly available. DIAMOND includes a digital portal to catalog publicly available educational resources and an ePortfolio to document professional development. DIAMOND is a nationally crowdsourced, federated, online catalog providing a platform for practitioners to find and share training and assessment materials. Contributors can share their own educational materials using a simple intake form that creates an electronic record; the portal enables users to browse or search this catalog of digital records and access the resources. Since September 2018, the portal has been visited more than 5,700 times and received over 280 contributions from professionals. The portal facilitates opportunities to connect and collaborate regarding future applications of these resources. Consequently, growing the collection and increasing numbers of both contributors and users remains a priority. Results from a small subset of users indicated over half accomplished their purpose for visiting the site, while qualitative results showed that users identified several benefits and helpful features of the ePortfolio.

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Following stroke, complement-dependent neuroinflammation exacerbates secondary injury and worsens acute and chronic outcomes. We have shown that an injury site-targeted complement inhibitor (B4Crry), that targets specifically to the ischemic brain, inhibits complement activation leading to improved outcomes. Stroke comorbidities have been shown to promote a pro-inflammatory environment in the brain and systemically, and to exacerbate inflammatory responses after injury. We investigated the impact of age and smoking on acute outcomes after stroke and assessed whether increased complement activation contributes to the worsening outcomes with these stroke comorbidities. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Mouse brain endothelial cells (bEnd3) were exposed to hypoxia followed by exposure to serum that was derived from either cigarette smoke (CS)-exposed mice or naïve mice, and IgM and C3d deposition assessed. Adult (12 weeks) and aged (1 year) mice were subjected to 1h transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Animals were exposed to CS for 3-6 months (5hr/day, 5days/week) by burning 3R4F cigarettes using a smoking machine. Animals were treated with B4Crry or vehicle intravenously 2h post-MCAO. Survival analysis and neurological deficit scores were performed up to 7 days. Brains were extracted for histological and molecular analyses. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Following hypoxia, bEnd3 cells exposed to serum from CS-exposed mice had higher C3d and IgM deposition compared to naïve serum. Older and CS-exposed mice had significantly worse neurological deficits and mortality compared to younger adults post-MCAO. B4Crry reduced mortality and motor deficits in young, old and old+CS mice with a higher effect size in comorbid animals. Age and/or CS exposure resulted in larger infarct volumes, and increased levels of C3d deposition and microglial activation compared to young adults, but aged/CS animals treated with B4Crry fared comparable to young adults. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: The pro-inflammatory effects of aging and smoking contribute to worse stroke outcomes, and these effects can be successfully mitigated by injury site-targeted complement inhibition.

Navigating the research domain at an academic medical center can be challenging, even for seasoned investigators. To address this, Duke University launched two initiatives: (1) a research navigation “hotline” to provide brief assistance with a variety of research questions; and (2) researcher onboarding and consultation, a one-to-one tailored offering to ensure that researchers are equipped to navigate research resources and processes effectively. The services are provided by the myRESEARCHnavigators (MRN) team, funded by Duke’s CTSA. The diverse scientific backgrounds of the six team members align well with those of the research community, allowing for a good match between the researcher and MRN team member. The MRN team answers approximately 30 questions per month, and has provided consultations to almost 400 researchers. Both services receive high satisfaction ratings (4 or 5 stars [out of 5 stars] given to 90% of hotline answers, and 99% of researcher onboarding/consultation sessions). As of July 2019, the School of Medicine has determined that the consultations are critical to their mission and have made them a requirement for new research faculty. The team will continue marketing both services to encourage adoption.

The opioid crisis in the USA requires immediate action through clinical and translational research. Already built network infrastructure through funding by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) provides a major advantage to implement opioid-focused research which together could address this crisis. NIDA supports training grants and clinical trial networks; NCATS funds the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program with over 50 NCATS academic research hubs for regional clinical and translational research. Together, there is unique capacity for clinical research, bioinformatics, data science, community engagement, regulatory science, institutional partnerships, training and career development, and other key translational elements. The CTSA hubs provide unprecedented and timely response to local, regional, and national health crises to address research gaps [Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program, Center for Leading Innovation and Collaboration, Synergy paper request for applications]. This paper describes opportunities for collaborative opioid research at CTSA hubs and NIDA–NCATS opportunities that build capacity for best practices as this crisis evolves. Results of a Landscape Survey (among 63 hubs) are provided with descriptions of best practices and ideas for collaborations, with research conducted by hubs also involved in premier NIDA initiatives. Such collaborations could provide a rapid response to the opioid epidemic while advancing science in multiple disciplinary areas.

Addressing rural health disparities has unique challenges that require cross-sector collaborations to address social determinants of health and help those in need to get connected to care continuum. We brought the Clinical and Translational Science Award, Institutional Development Award Program Infrastructure for Clinical and Translational Research, and Cooperative Extension System Programs together for a one-day semi-structured meeting to discuss collaborative opportunities to address rural health disparities. Session notes and event materials were analyzed for themes to facilitate collaboration such as defining rural, critical issues, and organizational strengths in support of collaboration. Across 16 sessions, there were 26 broad topics of discussion. The most frequent topics included “barriers and challenges,” “strategies and opportunities,” and “defining rural.” There is a growing understanding of the opportunity that collaboration between these large programs provides in addressing rural health disparities.

Childhood obesity is a complex and multi-faceted problem, with contributors ranging from individual health behaviors to public policy. For clinicians who treat pediatric obesity, environmental factors that impact this condition in a child or family can be difficult to address in a clinical setting. Community-clinic partnerships are one method to address places and policies that influence a person’s weight and health; however, such partnerships are typically geared toward community-located health behavior change rather than the deeper social determinants of health (SDH), limiting effective behavioral change. Community-engaged research offers a framework for developing community-clinic partnerships to address SDH germane to obesity treatment. In this paper, we discuss the relationship between SDH and pediatric obesity treatment, use of community-clinic partnerships to address SDH in obesity treatment, and how community engagement can be a framework for creating and harnessing these partnerships. We present examples of programs begun by one pediatric obesity clinic using community-engagement principles to address obesity.

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), like many rural states, faces clinical and research obstacles to which digital innovation is seen as a promising solution. To implement digital technology, a mobile health interest group was established to lay the foundation for an enterprise-wide digital health innovation platform. To create a foundation, an interprofessional team was established, and a series of formal networking events was conducted. Three online digital health training models were developed, and a full-day regional conference was held featuring nationally recognized speakers and panel discussions with clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates involved in digital health programs at UAMS. Finally, an institution-wide survey exploring the interest in and knowledge of digital health technologies was distributed. The networking events averaged 35–45 attendees. About 100 individuals attended the regional conference with positive feedback from participants. To evaluate mHealth knowledge at the institution, a survey was completed by 257 UAMS clinicians, researchers, and staff. It revealed that there are opportunities to increase training, communication, and collaboration for digital health implementation. The inclusion of the mobile health working group in the newly formed Institute for Digital Health and Innovation provides a nexus for healthcare providers and researches to facilitate translational research.

Twelve evidence-based profiles of roles across the translational workforce and two patients were made available through clinical and translational science (CTS) Personas, a project of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program National Center for Data to Health (CD2H). The persona profiles were designed and researched to demonstrate the key responsibilities, motivators, goals, software use, pain points, and professional development needs of those working across the spectrum of translation, from basic science to clinical research to public health. The project’s goal was to provide reliable documents that could be used to inform CTSA software development projects, educational resources, and communication initiatives. This paper presents the initiative to create personas for the translational workforce, including the methodology, engagement strategy, and lessons learned. Challenges faced and successes achieved by the project may serve as a roadmap for others searching for best practices in the creation of Persona profiles.

The efficient and effective movement of research into practice is acknowledged as crucial to improving population health and assuring return on investment in healthcare research. The National Center for Advancing Translational Science which sponsors Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) recognizes that dissemination and implementation (D&I) sciences have matured over the last 15 years and are central to its goals to shift academic health institutions to better align with this reality. In 2016, the CTSA Collaboration and Engagement Domain Task Force chartered a D&I Science Workgroup to explore the role of D&I sciences across the translational research spectrum. This special communication discusses the conceptual distinctions and purposes of dissemination, implementation, and translational sciences. We propose an integrated framework and provide real-world examples for articulating the role of D&I sciences within and across all of the translational research spectrum. The framework’s major proposition is that it situates D&I sciences as targeted “sub-sciences” of translational science to be used by CTSAs, and others, to identify and investigate coherent strategies for more routinely and proactively accelerating research translation. The framework highlights the importance of D&I thought leaders in extending D&I principles to all research stages.

Increasingly, basic, translational, and clinical research has become more collaborative, resulting in multi-institutional studies that involve common approaches to a central question. For multi-institutional projects that involve recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids, Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) review is generally required at each separate site. Duplicative review may result in both administrative costs and delays, without evidence of increased safety or protections, and investigator frustration. To address these inefficiencies, IBC leaders drafted a collaborative IBC Reliance Authorization Agreement. The Agreement allows one or more institutions to cede IBC review to a reviewing IBC that accepts the responsibility. The ability to cede IBC review, and the ability to rely on one decision on behalf of all collaborating institutions for a given protocol, removes delays in approval of multi-center protocols, and collaborating principal investigators are able to focus on research rather than administrative tasks. In the process, we found promotion of this collaborative model led to stronger connections among institutions and among IBC members. The requirement for IBC member representation from the local community, however, limits its broader dissemination; we make several recommendations to mitigate this challenge.

As the pace of biomedical innovation rapidly evolves, there is a need to train researchers to understand regulatory science challenges associated with clinical translation. We describe a pilot course aimed at addressing this need delivered jointly through the Mayo Clinic Center for Clinical and Translational Science and the Yale-Mayo Center for Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation. Course design was informed by the Association for Clinical and Translational Science’s Regulatory Science Working Group’s competencies. The course used didactic, case-, and problem-based learning sessions to expose students to regulatory science concepts. Course evaluation focused on student satisfaction and learning. A total of 25 students enrolled in the first two course deliveries. Students represented several disciplines and career stages, from predoctoral to faculty. Students reported learning “an incredible amount” (7/19, 36.8%) or “a lot” (9/19, 47.4%); this was reflected in individual coursework and their course evaluations. Qualitative feedback indicated that assignments that challenged them to apply the content to their own research were appreciated. The heterogeneity of students enrolled, coupled with assessments and course evaluations, supports the statement that there is a growing need and desire for regulatory science-focused curricula. Future research will determine the long-term impact.