Contact PD/PI: Sherwin, Robert S. 1. Overall Project Summary- The Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI) was created in 2005 to strengthen Yale's infrastructure for clinical and translational research, based on the recommendation of a Medical School strategic planning committee. Soon afterwards, when NIH launched its new program of Clinical & Translational Science Awards, YCCI applied and became the home of the Yale CTSA. Since then, one of its major priorities has been to support the education and career development of the next generation of clinical and translational investigators. As described in the present application, this initiative has met with great success, underscored by the fact that graduates of YCCI's K-Scholar program have received 47 individual NIH K Awards, 43 NIH RO1 awards, and 65 Foundation grants, published >1,800 papers, and obtained >$240 million in independent research funding. Remarkably, 98% of the program's graduates have stayed in academic medicine or pursued research careers in the biotech or pharmaceutical industries. YCCI has also made substantial progress in its push to accelerate the translation of disease-related discoveries into the clinic. As will be described, it provides Yale investigators with key assistance in areas including biostatistics and bioinformatics, study design, protocol development, regulatory approval, patient recruitment, access to inpatient and outpatient research facilities, and budgeting support, and gives them ready access to pilot grants and state-of-the-art research cores. The result has been a significant upsurge in the number and scope of clinical research projects throughout the Medical Center. In the next grant cycle, YCCI will build upon these achievements with an emphasis on team-based T1 to T4 research, including studies across the lifespan. YCCI will also pursue new partnerships with the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science to develop an innovative technology transfer program called the Center for Biological and Innovative Technology (CBIT) and with the School of Organization & Management to offer a novel program of leadership training for clinicians and physician-scientists. In addition, YCCI will take active advantage of the recent expansion of clinical services by Yale-New Haven Hospital (YNHH), which now has 1,540 beds and more than 1 million outpatients visits per year, and the growth of the Yale Medical Group (YMG), which has a network of >1,200 practicing physicians in >100 clinical specialties. The resulting clinical volume (~4 million patient records) gives Yale researchers access to a large, diverse patient base for outcomes studies and clinical trials. Overall, YCCI will leverage Yale's outstanding scientific and clinical environment and work with other CTSA hubs to foster the growth of multidisciplinary team science, to develop innovative strategies for disease prevention, diagnostics, and therapeutics, and to implement results for the benefit of the health care system and the population as a whole. Project Summary/Abstract Page 220 Contact PD/PI: Sherwin, Robert S. Program Narrative Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI) is a leader in team-based T1 to T4 research, including studies across the lifespan. YCCI will leverage Yale University's outstanding scientific and clinical environment and work with other CTSA hubs to foster the growth of multidisciplinary team science, to develop innovative strategies for disease prevention, diagnostics, and therapeutics, and to implement results for the benefit of the health care system and the population as a whole.

Project Narrative Page 221