The Wisconsin Network The Wisconsin Network

for Health Research (WiNHR):for Health Research (WiNHR):

Overview. Overview.

An Infrastructure for Conducting An Infrastructure for Conducting

Multi-Site Clinical Research Multi-Site Clinical Research

across the State of Wisconsinacross the State of Wisconsin

Dr. Howard Bailey, Faculty Head of WiNHRDr. Howard Bailey, Faculty Head of WiNHR

 

WiNHR: History WiNHR: History

In 2004, UW researchers and collaborators responded to RFA for Regional Translational Research Center (RTRC). Goals were to:

1) improve consumer and healthcare provider access to state-of-the-art therapeutics and medical knowledge

2) improve healthcare provider access to educational and clinical resources

3) seek new collaborative research relationships throughout the state

NIH decided to “rethink how to reengineer clinical and translational research” so grants were not reviewed, however WiNHR is built on foundation of original RTRC grant.

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WiNHR: History WiNHR: History Initial funding for WiNHR in 2005 through Wisconsin Partnership Program Medical Education and Research Committee (MERC) with goal to:

1) create an efficient organizational network of selected clinical sites statewide who would agree to participate in clinical trials or other human subjects based research

2) provide research staff support (infrastructure) at each site to “champion the cause” and provide quality control

3) centralize some aspects of the research, e.g. administration and regulatory

4) conduct research generated by any participating site, with review for scientific merit

The mission of WiNHR today is to foster research throughout Wisconsin via a collaborative, multidisciplinary statewide research network.

This is done by aligning WiNHR objectives with state and national priorities, facilitating applied research to improve patient care, and performing population-based, comparative effectiveness, cost effectiveness, health outcomes, translational, and clinical research studies throughout the state.

WiNHR: Partner Sites WiNHR: Partner Sites

WiNHR provides an opportunity to conduct multi-site research across the entire state of Wisconsin by collaborating with the four founding partner sites:

WiNHR: Benefits of WiNHR: Benefits of Collaboration Collaboration

Efficiency in Conducting Research

• Opportunity for more efficient subject recruitment through implementation of research at multiple network sites

• Use of Wisconsin IRB Consortium (WIC) and OnCore CRM at each site to enhance efficiency of regulatory process and to streamline data management

Relationship Building

• Collaboration with research institutions and their affiliated providers across the state of Wisconsin may result in coinvestigator relationships developed

WiNHR: Benefits of WiNHR: Benefits of Collaboration Collaboration Novelty of Network

• Collaboration with an existing regional network may provide advantage in the competition for clinical/translational funding opportunities currently not feasible at single sites

• Vision/mission and nesting of network within ICTR consistent with national goals of regionalization of research

Diversity in Populations • Geographic (urban/rural) reach covering 80% of state population

and statewide ethnic and socioeconomic representation

• Important to characterize differences in the causes, occurrence, and characteristics of diseases across minority groups for representation of all populations when seeking to improve public health through research. Failing to do so could result in adverse social and economic consequences

WiNHR: FunctionalityWiNHR: Functionality

Governance

• Decision-making is done by the WiNHR Advisory Committee - Composed of two voting members from the 4 sites

- Committee Chair (Bailey) may break tie votes

Administrative Structure

• WiNHR central site in Madison provides administrative conduit via regular coordinator/Advisory Committee meetings

• Dedicated WiNHR leadership and study personnel available at each site to enhance communication, continuity, and to assist with coordination

WiNHR: Initial WiNHR: Initial ProductivityProductivity

To date: 8 studies (ongoing or completed) have enrolled 1404 subjects; studies have varied from pre-existing studies to studies unique to WiNHR. Three industry sponsored studies, an investigator initiated study, and two recently funded federal grants (NHLBI) are proposed in the coming year and will include the recruitment of 500-600 subjects.

Multiple federal grants (2 NHLBI, 2 NINR, 1 NINDS, 1 NIAID, and 1 NCI) that include a proposed WiNHR collaboration are also pending a funding decision at this time.

Howard Bailey, Faculty HeadOffice: K4/640 CSCPhone: 263-8624 Email: hhb@medicine.wisc.edu

Deb Kruser, DirectorOffice: 2112D HSLC Phone: 262-7217Email: djkruser@wisc.edu

MJ Washburn, Senior Research SpecialistOffice: 2112 HSLCPhone: 262-7365Email: mwashburn@wisc.edu

Thank you