Director
Traci Green, PhD, MSc
Deputy Director
Susan Ramsey, PhD
Contact
Christine Park
Core Manager
kpark8@lifespan.org
To complement efforts in other Cores supporting the rigorous design and execution of the proposed studies in high risk and vulnerable populations, the objective of the Translational and Transformative Research (T2) Core is to provide expert support in translating innovative findings to transform the care of opioid addiction and overdose.
The enormity and urgency of the opioid epidemic calls not only for high-quality, pioneering interventions and research but also necessitates rapid and effective communication and dissemination of research findings, to maximize impacts on behaviors of patients, clinicians, healthcare systems and policy makers.
Grounded in multidisciplinary research principles and staffed by researchers with track records that exemplify its objectives, the Translational and Transformative Research (T2) Core is accessible to all COBRE affiliated projects throughout the arc of research study.
The long-term goal of the Translational and Transformative Research (T2) Core is to establish a hub of translational and transformative resources capable of supporting junior investigators and COBRE projects as they bridge theory to promising intervention, and research to practice and policy change for opioid addiction and overdose.
Core Goals:
- Support the execution of high-quality translational and implementation materials for COBRE affiliated studies
- Develop a culture of excellence and innovation in translational and transformative training and research on opioid addiction and overdose
- Promote and support implementation and dissemination of COBRE-affiliated research study findings
Core Services:
Research and project assistance
- Assistance with qualitative research (ex. matching design to study needs, recruiting the sample, conducting interviews, coding and/or analyzing data, writing and/or reviewing results)
- Overall observational or intervention design and sampling feedback
- Creation of outreach or marketing materials
- Adaptations in response to COVID-19 (ex. recruitment, online informed consent, brainstorming new sites due to restrictions)
- Incorporation of behavior change theory into study design, interventions, analysis, and dissemination
- Training and technical assistance on implementing research on/with people who use drugs (ex. co-designing research with PWUD, interacting with PWUD, de-escalation techniques, administering naloxone, staff education and response to overdose, managing treatment and resource inquiries)
- Interactive field research supports (ex. supporting teams in field work, role play)
- Using social media for research implementation (ex. recruitment, community engagement, research participation, content analysis)
Community drug checking
- Design considerations in research
- Sample testing/submission request
- Results interpretation and communication
- Request off-site/mobile drug checking services
Dissemination planning and implementation
- Initial dissemination planning (ex. one pager development, web page development)
- Using social media for research dissemination
- COBRE website dissemination
- Video dissemination supports (ex. Meet the Investigator video, recruitment video, results video, demonstration/intervention project video)
- Language translation supports
- Cultural translations
Equipment and Software Requests
- Qualtrics data collection software
- Touch screen laptops
- Video and/or audio recording tools