South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute: Przirembel Prize Best Practices Case Study

The South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute is primarily funded by a
$25M Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSAs). Translational research
involves transforming scientific discoveries made in the laboratory into treatments and
strategies for patients in the clinic. CTSA institutions, including the SCTR Institute, work
to transform the local, regional, and national environment to increase the efficiency and
speed of clinical and translational research across the country to that life-saving
technologies are more efficiently and effectively delivered to those in need.

SCTR’s scope and vision is broad: to improve health outcomes and quality of life for the
population of SC through discoveries translated into evidence-based practice. SCTR is
the catalyst for changing the culture of biomedical research, facilitating sharing of
resources and expertise, and streamlining research-related processes to bring about
large-scale change in the clinical and translational research efforts in South Carolina.
SCTR’s home at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) aims to advance
clinical and translational research as a distinct discipline and facilitate collaboration
across many disciplines – e.g., biomedical, biobehavioral, computational, engineering,
physical, social, economic and professional sciences – with a common goal of
improving human health.

SCTR’s overall approach focuses on: (1) implementing important advances in
biomedical science to create opportunities for discovery, (2) removing barriers to
facilitate the linkage of knowledge, experience and expertise across traditional
boundaries, (3) providing training and mentoring experiences to enhance the pipeline
for clinical and translational researchers with diverse training and backgrounds, and (4)
fostering community engagement with a rapidly growing statewide population that is
underserved by many systems to improve their participation and health outcomes. All
of these endeavors, including the formation of local spin-out companies, will serve to
create new opportunities for residents in the SE.