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About Harvard Catalyst
Harvard Catalyst is a pan-Harvard University enterprise dedicated to improving human health. It is a shared enterprise of Harvard University, its ten schools and its eighteen Academic Healthcare Centers (AHC), as well as the Boston College School of Nursing, MIT, the Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and numerous community partners. Harvard Catalyst was founded in May 2008 with a five year, $117.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (Clinical and Translational Science Center, CTSC) and $75 million dollars from the Harvard University Science and Engineering Committee, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital Boston, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital. The resources of the Harvard Catalyst are available to all faculties at Harvard regardless of their institutional affiliation or academic degree.
We believe that the key elements for success in clinical and translational research already exist at Harvard including the intellectual force, technologies, and clinical expertise necessary to reduce the burden of human illness. What is missing is a systematic way for investigators from disparate disciplines and institutions to find each other and form teams, to gain open access to tools and technologies, and to obtain seed funding to embark upon new areas of investigation. This demands a systematic effort to remove the barriers and obstacles to cross-institutional collaboration. A catalyst lowers the barriers to reaction, and thus speeds a reaction that would normally have occurred at a much slower rate. Speeding the reduction of human illness is the only function of the Harvard Catalyst.
How will the Harvard Catalyst achieve its mission? Simply stated, it will bring faculty, post-doctoral fellows, clinical trainees, and graduate students from across the University together to attack human illness. There is great enthusiasm among basic scientists - including biologists, engineers, chemists, and physicists - for new collaborative efforts to decipher the mechanisms of human disease, develop new diagnostics, and develop new strategies and agents to treat or prevent human illness. The barriers they face include a lack of understanding of diseases, inability to identify the most important scientific questions, and lack of access to clinical collaborators. Likewise, researchers who conduct studies on individual patients or populations are eager to bring their most pressing clinical questions to the laboratory but often do not know how to find scientific partners who would be interested and willing to collaborate. Once investigators find each other, they need access to relevant technologies, to human material, to patients and normal subjects, to expert help in areas such as biostatistics, biomedical informatics, genetics or imaging, and to pilot funds to catalyze high-risk, high-impact projects. In addition, we need to build on existing strengths at Harvard to nurture a new culture of academic-community partnership that will increase the relevance of Harvard's research to the needs of the community. Engaging academe with community members, practitioners, and health care delivery systems will greatly inform the priorities, conduct, and dissemination of translational research. Many of these new challenges and opportunities will require collaboration with our colleagues in the law, business, government, divinity, and education schools. Success is not a specific output but a change in the structure of our community: when investigators from many institutions come together to collaborate on developing a new diagnostic or a novel approach to treatment or prevention, that is a success.
The Harvard Catalyst is a member of a national consortium of medical research institutions funded through the NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards. The Harvard Catalyst will collaborate with other consortium members to bring their rich resources to Harvard and to bring Harvard's resources to the national enterprise.
Harvard Catalyst is composed of thirteen programs:
Biomedical Informatics (I. Kohane, Professor of Pediatrics, CHB) is creating a Harvard-wide research network to facilitate peer-to-peer communication across hospital data warehouses, augmented by medical group practices and health plan data; facilitating queries for identification of patient cohorts and patient materials for use in clinical and translational studies; and enabling investigators to identify and access cores, expertise, and reagents as well as enabling collaborations across Harvard and beyond. The Biomedical Informatics Program also provides coordinated bioinformatics education and consultation. The Harvard Catalyst Website is a product of the Biomedical Informatics Program.
Community Engagement and Research (R. Platt, Professor of Ambulatory Care and Prevention, HMS) a three-part program, enhances collaboration and trust between Harvard's researchers and its communities through the development of new, broad capacities in Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR). Its Provider and Health Systems Research component engages community physicians, delivery systems, and health plans in clinical and translational research to test implementation of clinical and translational advances in "real world" settings, and uncovers the complex barriers between discovery and improvements in population health. The Community Engagement Program also supports communication with the public about the clinical research enterprise through Community Connect to Research.
Design and Biostatistics (J. Ware, Professor of Biostatistics, HSPH) increases access to the diverse biostatistical tools available across Harvard by enlisting faculty from across Harvard and its AHCs, expands expertise in biostatistics and computational biology, and fosters biostatistical innovation that is relevant to clinical and translational research through collaboration and education.
Ethics in Clinical and Translational Research (D. Brock, Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine, HMS) provides expert consultation in clinical research ethics and advanced education and opportunities for professional development related to ethical challenges in C/T research.
Faculty Diversity and Development (J. Reede, Associate Professor of Medicine, HMS) supports institutional efforts to increase diversity among Harvard faculty and trainees, improves the promotion and retention rates among diverse faculty who are conducting clinical and translational research by offering education, mentoring and community-building events, and improves the cultural competence of all Harvard faculty.
Health Disparities Research (J. Ayanian, Professor of Health Care Policy, HMS and Professor of Medicine, BWH) increases the prominence and impact of research on health disparities at Harvard. The program promotes new collaborative research, education, and training opportunities in the biomedical, clinical, and social sciences to address racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and other disparities in health and health care.
Novel Clinical and Translational Methodologies (V. Sukhatme, Professor of Medicine, BIDMC) enables investigators to access and collaborate in the development of novel translational methodologies, facilitates systematic and problem-focused interactions between basic scientists and C/T investigators through the use of emerging technologies, and develops new methodologies to convert research concepts into clinically useful diagnostics and treatments, in particular via the Laboratory for Innovative Translational Technologies. The program also, through its Linkages component, integrates the skills and resources available within Harvard University's Law School, Business School, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Kennedy School of Government, and Graduate Schools of Education and Design to support clinical and translational research innovation.
Participant and Clinical Interactions Resource (In and Out-Patient Resources) (A. Klibanski, Professor of Medicine, MGH) organizes the resources, facilities, and people of five former NIH-funded General Clinical Research Centers - at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital Boston, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology - into a unified Human Research Laboratory that shares resources across all five host institutions. Clinical research is conducted not just in dedicated hospital-based research facilities, but anywhere in a hospital setting where research participants may be found (e.g., intensive care units, emergency departments, outpatient clinics). The program facilitates cutting-edge clinical and translational research by ensuring that the full spectrum of critical resources is available when and where they are needed.
Pediatrics (E. Neufeld, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, CHB) ensures that Harvard Catalyst attends to the pediatric population in all aspects of its work. Representatives of the Pediatrics Program participate actively on every Harvard Catalyst program committee, including the Pilot Studies selection committees.
Pilot and Collaborative Translational and Clinical Studies (L. Nadler, Professor of Medicine DFCI) provides early support for innovative, multidisciplinary or cross-institutional research and helps investigators seize opportunities and address obstacles in the completion of their projects by providing appropriate access to advisors, collaborators, and resources. Pilot funds are dedicated to helping develop new collaborations and addressing areas of investigation that are high risk high impact by investigators who might not traditionally work in the fields of translational and clinical research.
Regulatory Knowledge and Support (B. Bierer, Professor of Medicine, BWH) harmonizes and facilitate integration of existing multi-institutional regulatory processes for clinical and translational research, streamlines IRB submissions through the development of IRB Reliance Agreements, and provides on-going support and services to all IRBs and Human Research Protection Programs. This Program also assists investigators in navigating regulatory processes, administrative requirements and organizational challenges of the Harvard system, removes barriers to data sharing across Harvard while maintaining HIPAA requirements and other federal and state privacy and security laws, and other legal/contractual, policy and practical constraints.
Research Education, Training and Career Development (E. Antman, Professor of Medicine, BWH; and D. Golan, Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, HMS) enhances and integrates clinical and translational research education across the training spectrum from undergraduate to senior faculty, ensures integrated career development and mentoring for all clinical and translational research trainees, and provides mentorship for junior faculty.
Translational Technologies and Resources (G. Williams, Professor of Medicine, BWH) increases investigator awareness and utilization of established translational technologies, educates the research community in the underlying principles and application of relevant translational technologies and fosters collaborations to improve these technologies.
Considering its size and complexity, the Harvard Catalyst has a central administrative team and a multi-tiered governance structure.
The central leadership team of the Harvard Catalyst is composed of a Principal Investigator, co-Director, and an Administrative Director. They oversee Harvard Catalyst Central which is the administrative hub of the Harvard Catalyst. To access the staff of the Harvard Catalyst please go to the site on the Harvard Catalyst Homepage to "contact us."
Harvard Catalyst Central Team
Lee M. Nadler, M.D. Harvard Catalyst Director, Principal Investigator of the Harvard CTSC, and Dean for Clinical and Translational Research Harvard Medical School
Steven D. Freedman, M.D., Ph.D. Co-Director Harvard Catalyst, co-Director of the Harvard CTSC, and Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research Harvard Medical School
Laura Weisel, M.B.A. Executive Director of Harvard Catalyst and Administrative Director of the Harvard CTSC
Lucy Kolessin, M.B.A. Harvard Catalyst Finance Manager
Seanne Hanke, M.B.A Harvard Catalyst Implementation Manager
Sabune Winkler, J.D. Harvard Catalyst Regulatory Affairs Support Manager
Jocelyn Kasper, Ph.D., Harvard Catalyst Research Navigator
Ann Schlesinger, Ph.D., Harvard Catalyst Research Navigator
Zeke Bernstein, Ph.D. Harvard Catalyst Research Navigator
Governance
The Figure below is a schematic of the governance of the Harvard Catalyst.
The roles and responsibilities of each of these governance committees are briefly summarized below:
Harvard Catalyst Executive Board
The Executive Board is the governing body of the Harvard Catalyst and provides advice to the Harvard University Provost and Harvard Medical School Dean who co-chair the committee. The Executive Board is composed of the CEOs of the major AHCs; Deans of FAS, HSPH, SEAS, HMS Dean for Diversity and Community Partnership, Dean of the Boston College School of Nursing, a National Authority on Diversity, and a senior leader in Pediatrics and Clinical and Translational Research. Other members will include Deans of other Medical Schools, Presidents of Institutes, and leaders in the Pharmaceutical Industry. The Executive Board evaluates the overall success of the Harvard Catalyst and makes recommendations with regard to direction, organization, leadership, resource allocation, and diversity.
There are two Advisory Committees to the Executive Board:
Harvard Catalyst External Advisory Committee (Adult Health)
The External Advisory Committee (Adult Health) advises the Executive Board on overall direction of Harvard Catalyst, including the effectiveness of the leadership of all components. Selection of membership of the External Advisory Committee (Adult Health) will be announced in September 2008.
Harvard Catalyst External Advisory Committee (Pediatric Health)
External Advisory Committee (Pediatric Health) advises the Executive Board on Harvard Catalyst program in pediatric health, new opportunities for investment in pediatric health research, and resource allocation for pediatric health programs. Selection of membership of the External Advisory Committee (Pediatric Health) will be announced in September 2008.
Harvard Catalyst Operations Oversight Committee (OOC)
Operations Oversight Committee reviews and approves overall the annual Harvard Catalyst goals and evaluates performance against the goals. It is chaired by the Dean of the Harvard Medical School and its members include the CEOs of the major AHCs, Deans of the HDS and HSPH, and the Associate Provost of the Harvard University Science Executive Committee (HUSEC). In addition to evaluating goals and performance, the Operations Oversight Committee develops the overall budget and space allocation proposals for review and approval by Executive Board; negotiates with individual institutions to obtain needed resource and space commitments; and oversees regulatory integration and compliance.
Harvard Catalyst Innovation Executive Committee (IEC)
The Innovation Executive Committee sets the innovation agenda and monitors the innovation milestones for each the Harvard Catalyst Programs and the integrative goals and milestones of Harvard Catalyst. It ensures that the Harvard Catalyst is focusing its efforts and resources on the most promising areas of clinical and translational research. Likewise, it ensures that the most innovative tools and technologies are available to investigators. It is chaired by the HMS Dean for Clinical and Translational Research and co-Chaired by the Program Leader of the Development of Novel Clinical and Translational Methodologies Program.
Harvard Catalyst Core Operations Committee (COC)
The Core Operations Committee oversees the work of the Harvard Catalyst Programs and their integration. It is the committee where the Program Leaders report their goals and progress to each other and discuss cross-Programmatic goals and obstacles. The COC evaluates the progress of each Program and determines whether the metrics are appropriate and milestones are met. It is responsible for suggesting mid-course corrections to the Harvard Catalyst Director and co-Director. The Core Operations Committee is led by the HMS Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research and co-led by the HMS Dean for Clinical and Translational Research.
Clinical and Translational Science Center Funding
| NIH Grant Number: 1 UL1 RR 025758-01 | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center (UL1) |
| P.D/ P.I.: | Lee M. Nadler, MD |
| Co-P.D.: | Steven D Freedman, MD, PhD |
| Grant Period: | 05/19/08- 04/30/2013 |
| Budget Period: | 05/19/08- 04/30/2009 |
| Year 01 total budget: | $22,148,106 |
| Goals: | Provide enriched resources to educate and develop the next generation of researchers trained in the complexities of translating research discoveries into clinical trials and ultimately into practice. Design new and improved clinical research informatics tools for analyzing research data and managing clinical trials. Support outreach to underserved populations, local community and advocacy organizations, and health care providers. Assemble interdisciplinary teams and forge new partnerships with private and public health care organizations. |
Administratively linked awards:
| NIH Grant Number: 1 TL1 RR025756-0 1 | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center (TL1) |
| P.D/ P.I.: | Lee M. Nadler, MD |
| Grant Period: | 05/19/08- 04/30/2013 |
| Budget Period: | 05/19/08- 04/30/2009 |
| Year 01 total budget: | $498,008 |
| NIH Grant Number: 1 KL2 RR025757-0 1 | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center (KL1) |
| P.D/ P.I.: | Lee M. Nadler, MD |
| Grant Period: | 05/19/08- 04/30/2013 |
| Budget Period: | 05/19/08- 04/30/2009 |
| Year 01 total budget: | $900,370 |
| Goals: | Key components of the CTSA are the graduate degree-granting and post graduate programs in clinical and translational science. Under the K and T programs of the grant, investigators from diverse disciplines, relevant to clinical and translational sciences, will be trained. Topics include: clinical research design, epidemiology, biostatistics, pharmacology, biomedical informatics, ethics, behavioral science and others. |
For more information, please email Lucy Kolessin, Harvard Catalyst Finance Manager), see Harvard Catalyst Website "contacts."
Institutional Commitment: Harvard Catalyst is supported generously by the Harvard University Science and Engineering Committee, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital Boston, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital. These institutions contribute a total of $15 million annually.
Harvard Catalyst
The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center
10 Shattuck Street
Boston, MA 02115
Ph: 617 432-7800
Fax: 617 432-7823