ITHS Research Connector, Winter 2014
January 31, 2014
ITHS Research Connector, Winter 2014
A Message from Dr. Nora Disis, Principal Investigator
Welcome to the ITHS Research Connector, a newsletter that highlights some of the many ITHS resources and tools available to you. This issue will share examples of researchers who are successfully using our REDCap survey and database tool, research coordinator core, Latino outreach program, and research bioethics consultation service.
You will meet Dr. Aaron Kusano, who is using REDCap to collect data for his study into current radiation treatment practices for rectal cancer patients. We also check in with Dr. Sandra Juul, who has incorporated our research coordinator core and REDCap into her neurological protection research of infants who are born extremely prematurely.
You will read about the upcoming Latino Health Conference and launch of the Latino Center for Health, which is a historic new research center at the University of Washington. Finally, our Researcher Spotlight will introduce you to Dr. Benjamin Wilfond and the role he played in the controversy surrounding the outcomes of a national neonatal clinical trial.
Our Research Navigator can work directly with you to link you to the best resources to meet your specific research needs. Please contact the Navigator via email at ithsnav@uw.edu.
Thank you for your interest in ITHS. We look forward to hearing from you.
REDCap Supports Resident’s Unconventional Research Pursuits
Dr. Aaron Kusano, a resident in the University of Washington Department of Radiation Oncology, has research interests that he admits fall a bit outside the conventional realm of radiation oncology. He has examined the burnout amongst academic chairs of radiation oncology departments in the past. He also took a look at the bereavement practices of cancer and palliative care physicians across the Pacific Northwest. In both cases, he used REDCap, a web-based application for Electronic Data Capture, to successfully manage his data gathering process.
PENUT Trial Seeks to Improve Well Being of Premature Babies
The PENUT (Preterm Epo Neuroprotection) trial is a new study being led by University of Washington researchers who are assessing whether erythropoietin (Epo) can provide neurological protection for infants who are born extremely prematurely. This study is seeking a treatment for the approximately 50,000 infants a year in the United States who are born at less than 28 weeks of gestation, which puts them at extreme risk of death, neurodevelopment impairment, and chronic health problems.
First Latino Health Conference will be held April 17 to 18 in Seattle
Latino communities are growing rapidly in the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) region that the Institute of Translational Health Sciences (ITHS) serves. Also growing is the need for high-quality, community-engaged health research to promote the health of these diverse communities, which face significant social, economic, and health disparities. That is why ITHS, the National Institutes of Health, and Group Health Research Institute are co-sponsoring the Inaugural Latino Health Conference on April 17 and 18, 2014, in Seattle.
Researcher Spotlight: Featuring Benjamin Wilfond
Dr. Benjamin Wilfond is an attending pediatric pulmonologist and Director of the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Given his passion for pediatric pulmonology and bioethics, it is not surprising that he developed a strong interest in the outcomes of the national neonatal SUPPORT (Surfactant, Positive Pressure, and Oxygenation Randomized Trial) study.