UC BRAID
The University of California Biomedical Research Acceleration, Integration, and Development (UC BRAID) program, in collaboration with the University of California Office of the President (UCOP), is a joint effort of the five UC biomedical campuses to catalyze, accelerate, and reduce the barriers for biomedical, clinical, and translational research across the UC system.
The effort includes identifying shared challenges and developing system-wide solutions in regard to policy changes, new infrastructure, and standardized processes. Areas of initial attention include contracting, drug discovery & development, informatics and the UC-Research eXchange consortium (UC-ReX), institutional review boards (IRBs), and metrics.
Goals & Objectives
- Coordinating activities across the 5 biomedical campuses and at UCOP to support acceleration of biomedical research;These are issues better solved together than separately, not just because of efficiency but also because of the need for a force of will.S. Claiborne "Clay" Johnston, MD, PhD; CTSI Director
- Evaluating priorities for projects that meet UC BRAID program goals;
- Establishing task forces and subcommittees to address identified priorities;
- Ensuring UC-ReX serves UC Health broadly;
- Making funding recommendations to the Deans and UCOP.
Accomplishments
- UC BRAID Annual Retreat: Convenes UC BRAID working groups with UCOP representatives and other stakeholders from the 5 biomedical campuses to discuss major achievements, new goals, and potential new areas of focus.
- Development and Implementation of UC-ReX: Effort to build the first cross-campus clinical query system capable of exchanging patient-level data, as well as aggregates (counts and descriptive statistics) across the UC Medical Centers.
- Increased number of UC Master Clinical Trial Agreements (CTA): UCOP-led efforts proactively worked to increase the number of UC-wide Master Clinical Trial Agreements. The initial goal of establishing Master CTAs with 5 major companies was met, surpassed, and doubled.
- Standardizing MTAs across UC: UCSD led efforts for all UC campuses to have a single consolidated office for managing MTAS. UC-wide agreement to use the UBMTA template as the default agreement has been reached.
- MOUs: Expanded and enhanced the Memorandum of Understanding among the UC medical campuses to include greater than minimal risk studies.