On Wednesday, June 10, 2020 researchers and stakeholders from universities and institutions from around the state participated in the virtual Indiana-wide COVID-19 Research Networking Event.
Hosted by the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (Indiana CTSI), Wellbeing Informed by Science and Evidence in Indiana (WISE Indiana), and the Indiana Pandemic Information Collaborative (IPIC), the event brought together more than 250 attendees from Indiana University, Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame, and other institutions to discuss ongoing research to combat COVID-19 as well as to establish priority areas and opportunities for cross-institutional collaboration.
“We are proud to be able to facilitate partnerships among researchers across the state who are already doing such great COVID-related work,” said Dr. Sarah Wiehe, the Indiana CTSI leader of WISE Indiana. “This was a unique opportunity to facilitate an interactive and timely conversation, which we anticipate laid the groundwork for future collaborations.”
The virtual networking event featured presentations from research leaders at each university. Each provided updates on the current state of coronavirus research projects and funding at their respective institutions. WISE Indiana showcased their COVID Daily Digest newsletter, which was developed to provide quick access to relevant and emerging evidence-based coronavirus information on a daily basis. Additionally, two different breakout sessions were offered to foster discussions about ongoing COVID-19 studies with researchers spanning disciplines from business and law to policy and health.
In discussing the event, Jessica Brookshire, senior program director of the Office of Clinical Partnerships at Notre Dame and member of the Indiana CTSI Internal Advisory Team for WISE Indiana, said, “With the ongoing pandemic, it was encouraging to see these research universities and partners come together to discuss potential collaboration for combatting the ongoing pandemic. This is especially fitting as Notre Dame’s new Office of Clinical Partnerships aims to facilitate the exchange of ideas and resources with external partners and the community to establish new working relationships across the full spectrum of health.”
The Indiana CTSI is a statewide collaboration of Indiana University, Purdue University, and the University of Notre Dame, as well as public and private partnerships. Established in 2008, the Indiana CTSI is supported by a $25 million Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) of the National Institutions of Health, supplemented by nearly $60 million from the state, the three member universities, and public and private partnerships. The Indiana CTSI is a member of a national network of CTSA-funded organizations across the US.
Originally published by at "research.nd.edu":https://research.nd.edu/news/researchers-across-indiana-come-together-to-combat-covid-19/ on June 15, 2020.