GHUCCTS Programs & Resources

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GHUCCTS is a unique multi-institutional consortium of medical research institutions forged from a desire to promote clinical research and translational science. The members of the GHUCCTS consortium are: Georgetown University (GU), Howard University (HU), MedStar Health Research Institute (MHRI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the Washington Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). GHUCCTS supports consultative resources, facilities, and funding opportunities related to clinical and translational research.

The formation of GHUCCTS was inspired by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Clinical and Translation Science Award (CTSA) initiative to improve how academic medical centers perform clinical research and translational science. This initiative empowers researchers to develop new treatments and cures for diseases more quickly, and make them available to our patients and our communities more efficiently. GHUCCTS was funded by NCATS on July 1, 2010, thereby becoming one of 64 CTSA-funded centers in the U.S.

GHUCCTS was founded on the CTSA philosophy of interdisciplinary communication and exchange that encourages partnerships and collaborations amongst organizations (academic, government and industry) involved with health care across our geographic region, as well as across our nation. Through multiple partnerships and collaborations, GHUCCTS is committed to transforming clinical and translational research by facilitating the adoption of new scientific advances into improvements in health care to all individuals in our communities, including people from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, people with disabilities, and older adults.

We have two PIs with complementary expertise who share leadership of our consortium, and a GHUCCTS Steering Committee comprised of leaders from all of our constituent institutions. We have worked together intensively and productively, providing leadership and guidance to the overall consortium and to the cores that were established to address each of the many areas required for successful clinical and translational research and education.

We have established this public website to promote community education and engagement in GHUCCTS activities. We welcome you to look at each of our programs and what we can offer.

Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design

The goal of the Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD) component of the Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science (GHUCCTS) is to provide integrated infrastructure for the design and conduct of research that is innovative and statistically sound, with an emphasis on studies in engaged populations.

Community Engagement

The goal of the Community Engagement (CE) component is to develop a program of community–centered collaboration.

Environmental Determinants of Health

This initiative applies geospatial analysis and high-performance computing to study how environmental and neighborhood-level factors shape health outcomes. By modeling cumulative exposures—such as air pollution, noise, heat, green space access, and proximity to hazardous sites—it supports research that informs public health policy, healthcare planning, and prevention strategies across all communities..

Evaluation and Continuous Improvement

The goal of the Evaluation and Continuous Improvement (ECI) component is to provide credible and timely feedback on the growth and impact of the project on clinical and translational science research and training across GHUCCTS, as a whole, and specifically within each of the core components.

Health Informatics (HI)

The Health Informatics (HI) component of GHUCCTS provides analytical and computational support with the goal of promoting clinical and translational research.

Hub Liaison Team (Participant Recruitment & Engagement)

In partnership with the Trial Innovation Network, a network created to leverage the expertise and resources of the CTSA program, our goal is to enhance the speed and efficiency of multi-site clinical trials across all GHUCCTS institutions.

Organization and Governance

The goal for the governance structure of GHUCCTS is to provide effective and efficient mechanisms for providing guidance and decision making for GHUCCTS, while preserving the identities and values and deriving synergy from the unique resources of the member institutions.

Participant and Clinical Interactions

Participant and Clinical Interactions (PCI) is the component of the GHUCCTS which provides facilities and resources to enable investigators to successfully conduct their clinical research.

Pilot Translational and Clinical Studies

The PTCS program is designed to bring about further advances that will contribute to improving the process of research throughout our CTSA hub and the national CTSA consortium.

Regulatory, Ethics, Knowledge and Support

The REKS component emphasizes promoting and preserving the integrity of the research, the researcher and the research enterprise, preserving the trust between the public and the research enterprise, and the public trust in the fruits of the research process.

Research Access

The importance of including all populations in clinical and translational research is widely acknowledged, and it is crucial for a deeper understanding of diseases and conditions.

Translational Workforce Development

Translational Workforce Development (TWD) programs encompass mechanistic and translational, clinical and community research, health policy research, management and health care delivery.