Translational Science is the field of investigation that addresses longstanding scientific and operational challenges in conducting research related to human health. This is done through innovations that transform the way research is conducted, making it faster, more efficient, more accessible, and more impactful.

The University of Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institute (Miami CTSI) seeks to address key challenges and solutions in Translational Science, as defined above, through its Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) Research Program. The specific goal of the CTS Research Program is to support projects that directly address a truly significant challenge in CTS. We are interested in proposals that provide generalizable CTS innovations and process improvements that can be applied to other research projects and thereby increase its overall efficiency or effectiveness.

Budgets should amount to up to $130,000 in direct costs per year, with a project duration of 3 years.

Read the complete funding announcement (RFA) here.

The Miami CTSI is especially interested in proposals addressing any of the following CTS challenges:

• Clinical Trial Challenges including complex study protocols; clinical trial design (patient-centric considerations, adaptive trial design)​; failure/inability to recruit participants into clinical trials​; failure/inability to retain participants​; trials not completed on time or budget.
• Data Use Challenges including challenges to data acquisition, integrity, and analysis​; using Electronic Health Record data for research.
• Community Engagement Challenges including representativeness of trial participants ​to the local/catchment population; lack of effective strategies for ongoing patient/community engagement in the development and implementation of new health interventions​; interventions at community and/or clinical practices to promote overall health.
• Administrative and Operational Challenges and Inefficiencies including lack of efficient resource allocation and collaboration.
• Regulatory Barriers and Challenges including those related to IT.
• Team Science Challenges including education and training of research teams.
• Implementation Science Challenges including innovative methods that promote the uptake of research findings into routine healthcare in clinical or policy contexts.

All criteria must be met as of application due date.

1. The PI must be a full-time University of Miami faculty member and eligible to serve as PI for an NIH grant. Co-investigators may include University of Miami fellows, residents, post-doctoral fellows, and local community partners or other collaborators.
2. Faculty from all University of Miami Schools and Colleges may apply for this initiative.
3. Projects must have a primary Translational Science goal (see Priority Areas above).

Please read the complete funding announcement here. It is recommended that applicants watch the information session, which took place December 11.

A letter of intent must be submitted online via REDCap form by January 19, 2026 here.

After the LOI review process, we will select a small number to submit full proposals.

Want to learn more about translational science? Download additional resources here.

Administrative Contact: Melanie Couch, MHA, at [email protected]

Scientific Contact: Olveen Carrasquillo, MD, MPH, at [email protected]