Team Science and Multisite Trials

How do I find scientific collaborators and research resources on and off campus? Where do I go to find out about agreements and contracts that may be needed?

While planning a study, it can help to identify investigators to partner with for needed expertise and/or participation as a study site. You may also want to determine information and steps needed to set up internal and external contracts or agreements for collaborative partnerships and/or use of fee-for-service resources.

Connect with Scientific Collaborators On- and Off-Campus

The CTSA Consortium has established a website where researchers can either post requests for collaborators to build out an idea or a project or look for opportunities to collaborate with others. You do not have to be at a CTSA-supported institution to post a collaboration opportunity or respond to posts.

CTSA Program Team Science Navigators can assist you with identifying scientific collaborators within the UT Southwestern community, as well as our CTSA Program partnering institutions. They are also able to connect you with resources about scientific methodologies for team science. teamscience@utsouthwestern.edu a navigator to find out more.

Obtain Resources from the NIH-Supported Trial Innovation Network

UTSW is a member of the Trial Innovation Network (TIN), a collaborative partnership with investigators at the 60+ hubs in the national CTSA network. The vision of the TIN is to innovatively address critical roadblocks in multisite clinical research and accelerate the translation of novel interventions into life-saving therapies. The Trial Innovation Network can help investigators planning multi-center clinical research with the following:

Protocol development
Study operations enhancement
Trial budgeting guidance
Regulatory agreements
Data coordination & management
Clinical coordination & management
Data safety & monitoring
Site identification
Recruitment planning and feasibility

For more information on how the TIN can help with your research ideas, view the TIN Getting Started Guide, visit the TIN Website, or Kathleen.esselink@utsouthwestern.edu the UTSW liaison.

TAMU Biomedical Sciences Collaborators

Through the CTSA Program, UTSW researchers can collaborate with researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (TAMU CVMBS). Leveraging naturally occurring disease models in larger animal species that come to TAMU CVMBS for advanced veterinary care can facilitate translational research. Naturally occurring disease models in companion animals, such as dogs, can serve as an intermediate step between laboratory animal models and human research for drug development and research into other therapeutics (e.g., medical devices, biologics). The CTSA’s Pre-Clinical Drug Development Core, led by faculty from both UTSW and TAMU CVMBS, fosters collaborative research relationships.

If you would like to identify a TAMU CVMBS research project that focuses on a particular disease model or research area or access TAMU CVMBS’s animal tissue biobank, reach out via melissa.torres-altoro@utsouthwestern.edu to Dr. Melissa Torres-Altoro.

Connect with Research Resources

Advanced Imaging Research Center (AIRC)
The Advanced Imaging Research Center (AIRC) is a collaboration between UT Southwestern Medical Center and other North Texas institutions to further research in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and translation of discoveries into clinical practice. The AIRC’s facilities include a unique combination of dedicated research resources, with several new developments coming soon:
- High-field MRI scanners for humans and small animals:
- Analytical NMR (400 MHz, 600 MHz) for metabolomics and labeled isotope studies as well as contrast agent chemistry
- Hyperpolarizers for human (SPINlab) and small animal (SpinAligner, coming soon) applications
- Chemistry laboratories – contrast agents
- Radiofrequency laboratory
- Small animal interventional imaging suite (fluoroscopy and ultrasound, coming soon)
- Integration of data management system with BioHPC (coming soon)
Metabolomics Resources
CRI’s Metabolomics Facility offers state-of-the-art metabolic analysis for scientists at CRI, UT Southwestern, and elsewhere.

The Metabolomics Facility offers the following analytical methods:
- Basic quantitation of glucose, lactate, glutamate, and glutamine in tissue culture medium
- Measurements of respiration and extracellular acidification
- Metabolomic profiling
- Stable isotope tracing
- Targeted quantitation of select metabolites
Get more information about the CRI Metabolomics Facility and/or contact the team about your research needs.
Lipidomics Resources

Research expertise, tools, and services are available to investigators who are designing and/or participating in research studies that aim to identify disease markers, test with special diets, and investigate the use of new drugs. Research is also conducted with human samples, which includes taking blood, serum, tissues, and DNA. Learn how the Lipid and Metabolite Mass Spectrometry Facility can support your CTSA Program research.

There are many other resources at UT Southwestern that can be utilized for your research. See your options for Core Facilities.

Facilitate Formal Contracts and Agreements

A variety of formal relationships can be established with collaborators and may be necessary before work on the collaborative project can begin.

It can take time to obtain needed information, and sometimes multiple approval processes are required, so it is helpful to determine what you’ll need as early in the planning phase as possible.

Examples include:

Memorandum of understanding
Consultancy agreement
Business associate agreement
ISAC approval
Data use agreement

Subaward agreements are handled by the Sponsored Programs Administration.