As we move into 2008, there is general concern about the status of federal funding for biomedical research. On the other hand, there are aspects of the research environment at Rush that are improving the prospects for investigators on the campus. Through the sustained efforts of many faculty members over the last couple of years, led by Paul M. Carvey, PhD, and Ali Keshavarzian, MD, the processes for training and mentorship have greatly improved at Rush. Plans are being implemented to further accelerate progress in this challenging area and many key stakeholders have come to appreciate the strategic importance of ensuring the robust development of new Rush faculty.

Another area that has quietly moved forward is the research administrative systems for protocol approval. Over the last year, we have moved to a totally electronic process for new protocol submission. The Web-based system now captures the full array of clinical research activities of Rush. User satisfaction has been high and the time for full protocol review is now dropping. Over the next several months, the companion software packages to manage grant, contracts and CMS billing will be rolled out in the same Web-based user interface. This system will allow Rush investigative teams to be more efficient in these aspects of research and provide a firm foundation for hosting additional research administrative functions. The goal is to use these information systems to reduce the administrative drudgery of research, while giving investigators much more complete and fluid control over managing the conduct of one’s own research activities.

To help clinical investigators with their research activities, a crossdisciplinary team of Rush administrators from the hospital, the practice plan and research administration has worked out a system of centralization and standardization of research services costs. This centralized information source will allow investigators to have quick, one-stop shopping in determining the Rush charge for clinical services required to conduct a clinical protocol. At the same time, a new service is being developed to provide Rush investigators with a resource to conduct research billing of the sponsor on a regular basis.

A number of Rush investigators have had success in securing recent NIH awards. In addition, investigators like Dirk Gillespie, PhD, and Robert S. Eisenberg, PhD, have been able to report extraordinarily important research findings. Working with a team of mathematically oriented physiologists, they have found the molecular basis for calcium channel function. This so-called “bubble gaiting theory” has many important implications, and other Rush investigators are already contemplating how to apply this new information.