The Mayo Clinic Center for Translational Science Activities (CTSA) is a premier center for clinical research. Among the first dozen such programs funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Mayo CTSA is one of the largest and most technologically sophisticated programs in the nation.

The goal of the CTSA is to provide support to rapidly and efficiently translate laboratory discoveries into improved patient care. In the past, it often took years for laboratory discoveries to make their way into the practice of medicine. With NIH support and guidance, the CTSA strives to minimize the time from discovery to medical application.

"The twentieth century primarily was focused on basic research resulting in spectacular discoveries, but now the twenty-first century focus has become translating basic science discoveries into improved human health, says K. Sreekumaran Nair, M.D., director of Research Resources in Mayo's CTSA. "The CTSA provides crucial support to safely conduct clinical research activities using cutting edge technology."

Research resources: Providing state-of-the-art facilities

Mayo pioneered the use of advanced technology core laboratories for medical research. "The Translation Technology Cores of the CTSA allow researchers who may not be an expert in a particular technology the opportunity to apply it to their projects," says Laura Meiners, administrator for Research Resources. "The director, who is an expert in the technology provided by the core, can help those who are less experienced with use of the technology. This expands the areas of research in which a technology is used and fosters collaborations between research teams."

The translational cores include technologies ranging from bioinformatics to genomic analysis and from imaging to metabolomics.

CTSA Trilogy: The Clinical Research Units

An additional significant resource is the infrastructure technology, and staff of over 100 specially trained nurses, pharmacists, clinical physiologists, dietitians, and laboratory technologists that comprise Mayo's three Clinical Research Units or CRUs. The goal of the CRUs is to make volunteer participation in clinical research studies as safe and efficient as possible. Each CRU contains specialized medical equipment supporting a variety of procedures. Two CRUs are located on dedicated floors of Mayo's two hospitals in Rochester. A third is unit is mobile.

Rochester Methodist CRU

The Rochester Methodist CRU, for which Claudia Lucchinetti, M.D. is the Associate Director, serves volunteers participating in studies that do not require an overnight stay. Philanthropic donations provided financial support needed to open this 12,000 square foot facility. This CRU is designed to readily accommodate new technologies. It currently houses gastrointestinal and body composition testing equipment and a DNA microarray laboratory.

St Marys CRU

The St Marys Hospital CRU, for which John Miles, M.D., is the Associate Director, serves volunteers participating in studies that may or may not require an overnight stay. This 14,000 square foot facility looks like a regular hospital floor, though it functions independently from the hospital surrounding it. It features 19 hospital beds, heart monitoring equipment, a sleep study center, and exercise equipment. There is also a dedicated kitchen, with dieticians and nutritionists, and a dedicated pharmacy.

Mobile CRU: Taking clinical research to the people

Mayo's Mobile CRU goes wherever the research participant may be. This greatly expands the types of clinical research questions that can be answered and provides opportunities for people of all ages and states of health to participate in research studies. For example, the Mobile CRU can go anywhere in the hospitals, including the intensive care unit and emergency or operating room. The Mobile CRU comes to the patient's beside to provide a safe way for very ill people to participate in research studies.

"The main advantage the CRU staff brings to our research endeavors is the ability to focus on the research needs, as opposed to the clinical needs," says Andrew Badley, M.D., Director of the Mobile CRU. "Patients enrolled in research studies will have clinical staff focused solely on the clinical needs of the patient, while the CRU staff will bring the same high degree of precision and accuracy to research protocols such as collecting samples, administering experimental medicine, or recording data."

The Mobile CRU provides the ability to conduct research studies in communities and neighborhoods. By going into communities, the Mobile CRU makes it easier for underserved and underrepresented populations to participate in research studies in a comfortable environment.

"The Mobile CRU offers exciting opportunities to build relationships with community members, communicate important health messages to the public, and to identify and address health concerns that are brought forth by community members," says Jenny Weis, operations director for Research Resources.

Volunteer Participants: The Heart of the CTSA

The three CRU's host approximately 20,000 volunteer study visits each year. "Patients appreciate the level of care they receive from the CTSA staff," says team member Laura Meiners." The researcher's team, working with the CRU staff ensures participants understand what will happen during their visit so that they are comfortable volunteering."

The reasons people volunteer for studies vary. Some participants are healthy volunteers who are curious about medical research or eager to help researchers advance medical care. Others want to help explore potential new treatments that may help their own condition or they volunteer hoping their participation will help researchers find new treatments that will benefit others. For information about Mayo Clinic's Research Volunteer Program call 1-800-664-4542 or email clinicaltrials@mayo.edu.

- Charyl Dutton Gibbs