The new home for the GCRC/CTRC will soon be at the octri website, http://www.octri.org. Please bear with us as we transition the GCRC site content to the new OCTRI site.

As you may be aware, OHSU was recently awarded one of the first NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs). This comprehensive award establishes the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (OCTRI). The OCTRI will eventually transform the way we do clinical and translational research: enhancing resources, streamlining procedures, expanding research education, and fostering collaborations. It will provide core infrastructure elements, as well as pilot research funds. One of the main changes is that the current General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) will become a core in the OCTRI.

Transitioning to such a large and complex infrastructure will obviously take time, and the OCTRI leadership has already begun this process. You will be hearing more about this as events unfold, but in the meantime, you are probably asking what this means for your own research. Here are some answers to issues that are likely to come up in the next few months

• For investigators who already have funded and active GCRC protocols, those will continue without substantial changes. You will still be able to access CTRC clinical resources (inpatient and outpatient units, nursing staff), the bionutrition unit, the GCRC core laboratory, informatics, and biostatistics. You will not need to submit any new paperwork to continue this access.
• For ongoing GCRC protocols with high intensity resource utilization (especially in the core laboratory and bionutrition units), we are currently reviewing future resource allocations. In the next few months, we may be meeting with individual investigators to discuss future resource sharing in those areas. These decisions will depend on budgetary issues that are currently under review. You do not need to do anything about these issues at this time.
• For investigators interested in submitting new CTRC or OCTRI protocols in the next 4-6 months, you can use the same eIRB protocol submission process you have already used, using the documents as described in the gcrc website. Check 'yes' when asked if you want to use GCRC resources in the eIRQ. These protocols will be reviewed in the same manner as they have been in the past, until we transition to our new review process.
• For investigators with externally peer-reviewed, funded clinical or translational projects, please indicate this in your application. We have streamlined the review process for these protocols to avoid redundant scientific review.
• For investigators requesting high-volume or high-intensity CTRC/OCTRI resources in new or ongoing protocols, please contact Dr. Mary Samuels or the appropriate OCTRI manager to discuss these requests before you submit your protocol. Funding priorities for the OCTRI are currently being implemented, and we will need to discuss the scope and cost of your request well in advance.
• For investigators who need a letter of support or other documentation for a grant submission, please contact Dr. Mary Samuels well in advance (2-3 weeks minimum) of your deadline. She will coordinate your requests with other OCTRI cores and provide the necessary documents you need.
• For investigators who have never used the GCRC before, please contact Dr. Mary Samuels to facilitate your request in this new system.