Core Center for Clinical Research

The MUSC P30-funded Improving Minority Health in Rheumatic Diseases (IMHeaRD) Core Center for Clinical Research (CCCR) was established in 2017 to provide unique resources to enable and advance clinical and translational research designed to improve the health of individuals with rheumatic diseases. The center focuses on three autoimmune connective tissue diseases, scleroderma, lupus, and vasculitis that have a disparate impact on women and African Americans. With the core purpose of improving health, IMHeaRD researchers place a major emphasis on implementing participatory and collaborative approaches with patient groups and communities from various backgrounds and multicultural experiences to encourage input in clinical research and health promotion activities.

The center is built on a solid framework of strong leadership in Rheumatology, Biostatistics and Health Disparities Research coupled with trust and a proven track record of recruitment of African American patients for clinical research.

Objective & Specific Aims

The ultimate objective of the center is to eliminate health disparities for individuals with scleroderma, lupus, or vasculitis and to improve the health of all persons at risk for rheumatic disease. This will be pursued through the following specific aims:

1. Foster translational, clinical and outcomes research centered on Black patients with lupus and scleroderma that will lead to improved diagnosis, medical management, health outcomes, research participation, and ultimately a reduction of health disparities in debilitating rheumatic diseases. (All Cores)
2. Develop novel tools and strategies for using the EHR to expand enrollment, increase the frequency of sample collection, and simplify recruitment of participants in clinical research. Our efforts will use the EHR and patient portals through EHR to simplify and enhance collection of samples and patient data. (Clinical and Community Resource Core)
3. Serve as a specialized resource for providing information and education about these disorders to Black patients and families, their healthcare providers, the general public, investigators and other health professionals, other CCCRs and government agencies. (Clinical and Community Resource Core)
4. Provide well-characterized chronologic samples and associated clinical data to help our research community identify and understand underlying biologic/clinical reasons for differences in risk profiles. (Clinical and Community Resource Core)
5. Deliver quantitative guidance to the CCCR Research Community while developing novel biostatistical methods and providing methodologic educational development of trainees and junior investigators. We also have identified a need for enhancing education in biostatistical methods within the user base. (Methodologic Core)
6. Offer a robust pilot project program with methodologic support and mentoring for recipients. (Administrative Core)

Cores & Funded Projects

IMHeaRD has three cores. The Administrative Core provides overall guidance and direction for the center as well as overseeing the Pilot & Feasibility Program. The Methodologic Core leads the development of methods for clinical research, data management, and data analysis. The Clinical and Community Resource Core manages existing data resources and promotes the use of these resources by the musculoskeletal research community.

Collaborating Investigators

In line with our CCCR mission, we actively encourage and value collaborations across various disciplines worldwide, with investigators old and new. Collaborating investigators are encouraged to familiarize themselves with IRB policies regarding nonhuman research before applying for transfer of samples or clinical data from the CCCR and include IRB approval documentation in the application.

Funding

This project is supported by the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research (SCTR) Institute, with an academic home at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), through NIH Grant Number UL1 TR000062 and by the Core Center for Clinical Research, Improving Health in Rheumatic Diseases (CCCR) at MUSC through NIH Grant Number P30 AR072582.