The Mayo Clinic Center for Translational Science Activities (CTSA) wants to take clinical research to the people, expanding research participation to people of all ages and levels of health. That's why it has launched its Mobile Clinical Research Unit (CRU), bringing clinical research staff and opportunities to acutely ill patients and other volunteers who may not be able to visit Mayo's two stationery CRU locations (Saint Marys Hospital and Rochester Methodist Hospital).
Andrew Badley, M.D., director of the Mobile CRU, says it will begin its phased implementation by providing research RNs, dietitians and other staff to carry out clinical research protocols at the bedside of hospitalized patients, allowing staff nurses to focus on patient care. The unit's staff will gather samples, administer study medications, collect and report data just as they would in the traditional unit.
As the Mobile CRU reaches full capacity over the coming year, it will also support off-site studies in the community and at Mayo Health System locations in the Midwest. Limited off-site operations began with a recent road trip to collect blood samples from control participants at Winona State University for a genetics study.
The Mobile CRU and other translational science efforts are funded by the Clinical and Translational Science Award received last year from the National Institutes of Health. Mayo Clinic is one of only 12 centers nationally to be designated for the award in the first round of funding. The award provides $72 million over nearly five years.
May 22, 2007