Spectrum Services Support MDs, Researchers, and Students Across Stanford School of Medicine

Spectrum, Stanford’s Center for Clinical and Translational Research and Education, provides researchers, scientists, and doctors from the School of Medicine and across the entire University with services that support, sustain, and enhance their work. Organized into 10 interconnected cores, these services are sponsored by the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS).

“Our goal is to make the Spectrum CTSA as effective and efficient as possible at discovering and implementing data- and metrics-driven strategies to serve Stanford’s research community, as well as the health needs of individuals and populations,” explains Senior Associate Dean of Research Dr. Ruth O’Hara, Spectrum’s Principal Investigator and Director.

In this issue of Stanford Spectrum News, we are pleased to introduce three of our cores. Read about our additional cores in our January issue!

Administrative Core

The Administrative Core enhances efficiency, quality, and productivity while promoting efficient and effective collaboration and communication among Spectrum participants, network partners, the local community, and the public in general. It is home to the QA/QC function, which enhances engagement and coordination with SoM departments and their Spectrum-engaged faculty and staff. QA/QC takes a data-driven approach to evaluate the effectiveness of new processes and uses data to implement continuous and timely improvement.

Informatics Core

The Informatics Core focuses on 1) the data platforms essential to Spectrum’s clinical and translational research (CTR) mission, 2) the development of new methods and tools and the processes that guide our CTR workforce and trainees in successful application of these tools, and 3) the education of the CTR workforce, including both advanced trainees and future informaticians, as well as those in the CTR workforce who must apply these tools.

Spectrum is comprised of 10 interconnected cores, each with programs that support faculty, researchers, and students across the Spectrum CTSA and the Stanford School of Medicine.

Translational Endeavors Core

The Translational Endeavors Core is divided into two distinct sections: Translational Workforce Development and the Innovation Accelerator Program (Pilot Programs).

1. Translational Workforce Development Program
   The Translational Workforce Development (TWD) team is responsible for developing a well-trained and diverse workforce (e.g., investigators, trainees, and staff) in addition to implementing a structured program to continuously assess and improve the workforce's capacity and capabilities.
   
   
2. Innovation Accelerator Program (Pilot Programs)
   The Innovation Accelerator Program is comprised of our major pilots:
   • SPARK, which offers funding/education/mentorship to address unmet medical needs in any clinical indication with special targeted projects for child and maternal health,
   • MedTech, which offers pilot grants for accelerating clinical and translational research in biomedical and health-related areas
   • SPADA, which identifies and advances high-potential translational projects, “de-risking” their path to implementation in the private sector, as well as providing trainees with non-scientific skills necessary for translation (e.g., intellectual property knowledge, market evaluation, regulatory pathways, and financial models).
      

Please visit the Cores and Programs section of the Spectrum website for more information.