About Spectrum Child Health
Spectrum, the Stanford Center for Clinical and Translational Education and Research, intends to streamline, accelerate, and promote the translation of basic discoveries into practical solutions that improve human health in the community, and to educate the next generation of clinical and translational research leaders.
The Child Health Research Program (CHRP) was created by Dr. Christy Sandborg in 2005 with the mission to increase the quantity and quality of clinical research in child health. The program offered a centralized clinical core with research support personnel, assistance with scientific expertise and advice, and career development training for junior investigators. With the arrival of the NIH CTSA in 2008, CHRP was renamed Spectrum Child Health. Today, we continue to provide these services, including formal infrastructure, clinical research personnel, mentoring, and funding in preparing early and mid-career faculty for a career in clinical and translational research. These services are available to all Stanford faculty and trainees participating in clinical and translational research in children.
Mission
Improve the scientific quality and quantity of clinical research in Children at Stanford through providing research personnel and services to investigators, advising investigators in scientific design, providing funding for junior investigators and pilot projects, and facilitating research mentoring and career development.
Current Status of Research in Children's Services
Most individual specialties in children's services have limited personnel and resources to participate in either investigator initiated or industry sponsored clinical and translational research studies. Clinical and translational research in children is fragmented and inefficient.
There are significant start-up costs associated with clinical research that are not covered by the funding agency. Successful design, implementation and performance of clinical studies requires special expertise and an upfront investment and infrastructure that most children's services do not have.
The Opportunity
The academic profile of the faculty in children's services would be greatly enhanced by a clinical research program that is able to facilitate and support their research efforts and participation in clinical and translational research studies and clinical trials. The quality and quantity of clinical and translational research and clinical trials will be improved by enhancing, facilitating and coordinating the research efforts of children's services. Investing in career development and mentoring for trainees, young investigators, and mid-level faculty will insure that the next generation of pediatric clinical researchers is successful. The NIH Roadmap Initiative is focusing on enhancing clinical and translational research career development at an institutional level.
