Administrative Core

The overall goal of the Administrative Core is to further increase the productivity and impact of each of ACCEL’s components and contribute to the overall IDeA-CTR goals.

Pilots Core

Small grants to conduct pilot projects are a well-proven and pivotal mechanism for the establishment and capacity building of a successful, sustainable research program.

BERD Core

The Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD) KCA of the Delaware-CTR ACCEL Program was formed during the first CTR funding cycle. BERD has been successful in meeting the original Specific Aims: providing consultations across ACCEL institutions, providing educational forums, developing methods, and supporting the Pilot grants. BERD has skilled, experienced epidemiologists, biostatisticians, bioinformaticians, and biomedical informaticians forming a critical mass of scientists to support clinical and translational projects.

PD Core

Successful clinical and translational research requires focused support for the professional development of investigators and teams. In the initial phase of the ACCEL Program, we implemented substantive programs and infrastructure to support junior investigators. Mentored Research Development Awards (MRDA) allow clinicians to develop competitive grant submissions; our mentoring program provides substantial tools and resources; a Junior Investigators’ Network offers training and networking opportunities.

CEO Core

Community engaged research (CEnR) is not a specific methodology; rather it is a value system that gives priority to the voice of the community and patient. CENR is a collaborative process between the researcher and community partners to create and disseminate knowledge in order to contribute to the discipline and strengthen the well-being of the community. The Community Engagement & Outreach (CEO) Core of the Delaware-CTR ACCEL Program (ACCEL) will make research more impactful and responsive to community needs by expanding the work of our initial funding and through the accomplishment of the following three specific aims.

T&E Core

Tracking and Evaluation (T&E) is an indispensable tool required to define and facilitate the short and long-term success of a complex research program, and is now a required key component activity (KCA) for all IDeA-CTRs. Over the first four years of the Delaware Clinical and Translational Research (DE-CTR) ACCEL Program, all Cores, including T&E, have undergone remarkable transformation. T&E will proceed apace in tracking the activities, out- puts, and impact of each Core and the synergies among them. Moving forward, T&E will focus on improved communication, expanded interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations, optimization of decision-making, and resource-sharing. The ACCEL Program is particularly fortunate to have established a close collaboration with the South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research (SCTR) Institute, a Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program at our partner Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). As we continue to strengthen our connections with SCTR, we propose to expand the capabilities of T&E by building on our existing relationships in an increasingly dynamic and participatory fashion that incorporates CTSA evaluation best practices.