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Signature Program in Child Health Research

Mission and Vision

The UNM Signature Program in Child Health Research (SPCHR) is a program designed to improve the health of children in New Mexico and nationwide.  The program will increase and support the number of scientists conducting child health research; unify scientists interdisciplinary teams that focus on topics of common interest, and integrate research into existing clinical service-based programs.

The following specific aims will foster this effort:
 

Aim 1: Focus and integrate areas of excellence for research with children

• Link with and promote the utilization of the UNM HSC Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC) resources and expertise

• Conduct a needs and assets assessment and analysis that includes researchers, agencies, and community members

• Develop 5 and 10 year plans for child health research

• Work closely with the UNM HSC Research Strategic Planning Committee (RSPC) along with SOM, COP, and CON to determine the feasibility of and resources available for the proposed objectives

• Encourage and support faculty, residents, students, and professional staff from SOM, COP, and CON in their efforts to initiate and sustain research in child health

• Strengthen existing incentive systems to encourage the development of child health research cooperatives within UNM HSC

• Promote collaboration across academic departments, across all SOM Signature Programs, and other institutions of higher learning

• Increase the number of faculty proposing and/or conducting child health research

• Strengthen the existing infrastructure that supports research in child health across UNM HSC

• Seek both internal and external funding to support child health research
   

Aim 2: Create an environment that proactively encourages and supports critical thinking as well as integrative and innovative research in child health

• Promote research mentoring of faculty, residents, students, and professional staff

• Ensure high-quality, innovative research by faculty, residents, students and professional staff - research that embodies state-of-the-field science and is responsive to the needs of children in New Mexico and the nation

• Increase the number of structured events showcasing and supporting child health research, thereby increase faculty, resident, student, and staff awareness of research resources through frequent presentations

• Strengthen the UNM HSC commitment to research by providing space, time staff support, and "bridge monies"
   

Programmatic Structure

The Signature Program in Child Health Research is under the leadership of Sally M. Davis, PhD. Professor and Vice-Chair for Research in the Department of Pediatrics.  She is responsible for the overall leadership and oversight of the development, organization and administration of the SRPCH.  With the support and involvement of the SRPCH Steering Committee: She will facilitate interactions between basic, clinical, translational and community researchers specifically as they related to child health; establish a network of child health researchers and those interested in child health research; facilitate collaborations with other Signature Research Programs; and ensure that the aims outlined above are met.  She will participate in regular meetings with other Signature Program directors and with the HSC Strategic Research Planning Committee.

Four groups will provide leadership toward specific goals.  These groups are shown below:

Strengths and Focus

Scientists at UNM HSC have an outstanding local, state, national and international reputation for conducting cutting edge child health research.  Establishing a cross-cutting Signature Program in child health research that serves as the focus for research with children is the realization of a vision first articulated by members of the Department of Pediatrics and others engaged in child health research in 1998 and included in the Pediatrics Department Strategic Plan for Research at that time.  A major strength of the SPCHR is that it builds upon this vision and sustained development of child health research at UNM over the years.  Building on these strengths and previous history, the SPCHR will create a collaborative network of scientists, health care providers, educators, families, community leaders, policy makers, and others.  Under the auspices of the SPCHR, this group will identify, articulate, and prioritize the research needed to address the health issues of children in New Mexico.

A second strength of the SPCHR is the transdisciplinary and cross-cutting membership of the Program as demonstrated by the Steering Committee.  Each member of the Steering committee brings unique strengths to the SPCHR and was selected to create a dynamic and balanced leadership group.  All have agreed to serve in this important role and have provided valuable input into the establishment of the Program.  The broad scope of research activity in the realm of child health represented in the SPCHR includes basic science studies, formative studies, analytic studies, and descriptive research on the determinants of health and disease.  Clinical studies include all phases (I, II, III) including community-based efficacy trials.  Translational research from bench to bedside (T1) and effectiveness studies to determine how to translate research into practice and policy (T2) are also included.

A third strength is the high level of interest in the concept of Think Tank sessions that bring together key leaders around specific topics of interest.  For example childhood obesity is considered an important research topic for scientists and clinicians from neuroscience, cardiology, metabolism, endocrinology, pediatrics, nursing, child development, and prevention research.  Two of the Signature Research Programs (Brain and Behavior, and Cardio-Metabolic), the Prevention Department of Pediatrics, RIOSNet, College of Nursing and others, including Dr. Alberta Kong, one of the CTSC Scholars are engaged in either research or programmatic interventions.  Individuals from these groups and others come together to review the needs and assets assessment, share their research and develop research questions and recommendations for collaborative research over the next five and ten years.  These activities serve to unify scientists into interdisciplinary research teams, focus research topics and integrate research into clinical programs.  Collaboration with other Signature Programs enhances this effort.  The Think Tank venue is both a planning activity and is used to stimulate investigators to collaborate, develop new and innovative child health research and integrate research into existing clinical service programs such as the Center for Development and Disability and the School-Based Health Program.

A fourth strength includes existing mechanisms for funding of small grants in child health from the Department of Pediatrics and the College of Nursing intramural grant program.  These mechanisms for supporting pilot studies have a history of launching successful researchers in child health.  Other existing opportunities include other large studies such as the National Children's Study (NCS) and the Neonatal Research Network that encourages both new protocols and ancillary studies for related research.

Finally, the University of New Mexico is an ideal setting for a Signature Research Program in child health.  Currently there are a number of model research studies and programs that address health issues important to New Mexico's children.  However, there is no overarching system to link individual studies and programs with one another; and therefore are not unified in creating an environment that invigorates and enhances critical thinking and innovation.  The newly established SPCHR will provide the overarching structure that allows for the necessary synergy, focus, and proactive development of this environment.

Five Year Strategic Action Plan for the SPCHR

Within five years we will establish and fully develop a high profile proactive successful Signature Program in Child Health Research by:

• Establishing a network of research collaborations in child health across signature programs, SOM Departments, COP, and CON

• Increasing the number of faculty proposing, successfully applying for and conducting child health research

• Increasing the number of structured events that showcase and support child health research

• Increasing the utilization of science-based evidence for child health program and policy development

• Identifying and maintaining a Steering Committee, CHAG, CHIG, and SPCHAC to guide a series of purposeful decisions driven by the common mission of enhancing and improving the health and well-being of children through collaborative and multidisciplinary science.

The Logic Mode shown below identifies the goals, activities, and outcomes for the SPCHR five-year strategic action plan.
 

Summary

Researchers in child health from the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center envision a Signature Program in Child Health Research that will enhance and improve the health of children of New Mexico through research relevant to New Mexico's population and generalizable to children everywhere by increasing and supporting the number of scientists conducting research in child health, unifying scientists into interdisciplinary teams that focus on topics of common interest, and integrating research into existing clinical service-based programs.  We plan to realize this vision by implementing the aims articulated above.  We have the experience, expertise, commitment and support necessary to carry out the proposed plans.