Soliciting comments for the Clinical and Translational Science Awards program

The Institute of Medicine panel tasked with reviewing the Clinical and Translational Science Awards program at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences is asking for public input on the successes and failures of the program. The CTSA program makes grants to institutions that perform clinical and translational research and also train scientists in how to conduct this research. The program was one of the first programs to be included in NCATS when it was first created at the end of 2011. With the move to NCATS, some directors at CTSA were concerned about the fate of research programs that did not have a clear translational focus. ASBMB and other science advocacy organizations expressed similar concerns that the reorganization would take grant money away from basic researchers.

What do you think? Has your research been affected by the CTSA move to NCATS? Let us know in the comments section below, or tell the IOM before March 1. Stay tuned for more updates about this process as it unfolds!