Community Research Partnership (CRP)

CRP builds and supports partnerships with health systems, universities, and public sector agencies in order to promote collaborative research with ACTRI. CRP places equal importance on engaging with community institutions interested in research and actively contributing to narrowing disparities within our science task forces while increasing diversity. The latter is also seen as a palpable benefit and builds trust among community members.

The ACTRI CRP is responsible for focusing on developing, maintaining, and expanding productive institutional research and training partnerships with ACTRI. This includes institutional partnerships with higher education institutions and health systems in the region that provide health care, train students, and engage in community-engaged research. Led by Edward Cachay, MD, Professor of Clinical Medicine, CRP has developed a partnership process for ACTRI to manage requests for partnership/affiliations.

CADRE provides research immersion opportunities in translational science. CRP have identified a group of research faculty at UCSD who agree to hire CADRE scholars to work in their group on specific research projects. ACTRI will provide vouchers for services that can support these CADRE research projects, such as BMI or biostatistics consultation. In addition to providing employment opportunities, the students are mentored by the faculty and participate in organized training activities like the Clinical Coordinator Bootcamp.  The program will support a broad group of college students from historically under-represented backgrounds in sciences who aspire to pursue higher education and scientific careers.

 CreAting Diversity in Science through Research Education (CADRE)

• New program focused on underserved undergraduate populations in San Diego County
  • Community colleges through the San Diego Community College District
  • Transferable students at UCSD
• Why CADRE?
  • Many students face a choice between working for pay and engaging in research
  • Many unfilled coordinator positions
• CADRE Program
  • Mentored research work-study program coupled with Coordinator Boot Camps and career seminars
  • PIs provide work-study salary and ACTRI provices scholar facing training and vouchers for PI's as incentives
• Outcomes of CADRE Program
  • Diversity Supplements
  • Clinical Coordinator positions
  • Graduate School 

The program will launch in 2024 beginning with new partner institution san Diego Mesa College.

CAB Goals and Objectives:

ACTRI's goal for the CAB is to foster relationships and strong partnerships among community members and health researchers, be involved in the full translational research process (e.g., identify research priorities, identify research questions, study design, study implementation, results interpretation, dissemination, sustainability) and advise on community priorities for discovery.

• Communication: Support communication between ACTRI researchers and the community by discussing and addressing community issues, health needs and concerns related to research, while working to increase awareness of ACTRI within the community.
  • Provide input and feedback to the Population Science units on community health and related needs and priorities
  • Meet regularly with Population Science and Executive Committee to discuss strategic plans, policy changes, resource allocation and unmet needs
  • Provide on-going input to research personnel how community members think and feel about health research
  • Facilitate communication and collaboration between community-based organization and UCSD Health Science in general and CTRI programs
• Partnerships: Foster relationships and partnerships with community members to build a sense of respect and trust, while working collaboratively with community partners.
  • Provide input on priorities and research issues in support of emerging health needs
  • Support Population Science activities, including workshops, webinars, trainings, events, etc.
  • Manages interactions with community partners and help to incorporate community ideas and priorities into ACTRI resource allocations and decisions
  • Develop a shared sense of trust by and between ACTRI and community members
  • Building partnerships with community agencies that are mutually beneficial

CAB Members play a key role in the success of translational research by promoting translational education and research projects and sharing information with their communities. They serve as a bi-directional link between the community and the ACTRI. They work to identify and advocate for the health issues and concerns of San Diego, Imperial Valley, and the regional communities, particularly those with diverse populations and populations typically at higher risk of poor health outcomes. Additionally, they are in the unique position to provide community perspectives on the entire translational process.

Director of Community Research Partnerships (CRP)

Edward “Lalo “Cachay, M.D.