Search

External advisory committees (EACs) are critical peer-review meetings that drive improvement at Clinical and Translational Science Award Program Hubs. Despite their ubiquity, evaluations of EAC optimization and effective implementation remain scarce. We present a two-tiered approach to optimizing EAC meetings through (1) in-depth, topically focused "pre-review" meetings comprised of external topic experts and at least one standing "full-board" EAC member, followed by (2) a traditional "full-board" EAC meeting. This approach allowed pre-review discussion of program-focused topics and specific recommendations, later delivered to the full-board for review and direction. To evaluate this approach, we interviewed 18 people who planned, administered, or attended pre-review and/or full-board meetings, including internal Hub staff, external topic experts, and standing EAC members. Thematic analysis was used to explore planning, implementation, and value of our two-tiered approach versus the traditional single full-board approach. Interviewees preferred the two-tiered approach, noting benefits including additional time to reflect, shared identification of strengths and challenges, and discussion of solutions to share later with the full-board. Those who attended pre-review meetings described building " transformational ," rather than "transactional ," relationships with invitees through more discussion and inter-hub sharing. That increased sharing invited more exploration, discussion, and planning of next steps toward innovation., Competing Interests: Dr Brasier is an External Advisory Committee member at universities that both have a CTSA Hub and employ JCTS Editorial Board members. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Despite understanding its impact on organizational effectiveness, practical guidance on how to train translational team (TT) leaders is lacking. Previously, we developed an evolutionary learning model of TT maturation consisting of three goal-directed phases: (1). team assembly ( Formation ); (2). conducting research ( Knowledge Generation ); and (3). dissemination and implementation ( Translation ). At each phase, the team acquires group-level knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) that enhance its performance. Noting that the majority of team-emergent KSAs are promoted by leadership behaviors, we examine the SciTS literature to identify the relevant behaviors for each phase. We propose that effective team leadership evolves from a hierarchical, transformational model early in team Formation to a shared, functional leadership model during Translation . We synthesized an integrated model of TT leadership, mapping a generic "functional leadership" taxonomy to relevant leadership behaviors linked to TT performance, creating an evidence-informed Leadership and Skills Enhancement for Research (LASER) training program. Empirical studies indicate that leadership behaviors are stable across time; to enhance leadership skills, ongoing reflection, evaluation, and practice are needed. We provide a comprehensive multi-level evaluation framework for tracking the growth of TT leadership skills. This work provides a framework for assessing and training relevant leadership behaviors for high-performance TTs., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Successful translation involves the coupled application of knowledge - generating research with product development to advance a device, drug, diagnostic, or evidence-based intervention for clinical adoption to improve human health. Critical to the success of the CTSA consortium, translation can be more effectively accomplished by training approaches that focus on improving team-emergent knowledge skills and attitudes (KSAs) linked to performance. We earlier identified 15 specific evidence-informed, team-emergent competencies that facilitate translational team (TT) performance. Here, we examine the SciTS literature describing developmental, temporal dynamics, and adaptive learning stages of interdisciplinary teams and integrate these with real-world observations on TT maturation pathways. We propose that TTs undergo ordered developmental phases, each representing a learning cycle that we call Formation , Knowledge Generation , and Translation . We identify major activities of each phase linked to development goals. Transition to subsequent phases is associated with a team learning cycle, resulting in adaptations that enabling progression towards clinical translation. We present known antecedents of stage-dependent competencies and rubrics for their assessment. Application of this model will ease assessment, facilitate goal identification and align relevant training interventions to improve performance of TTs in the CTSA context., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© The Author(s) 2023.)