PITT-MCRC for Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases

描述(由申请人提供)： 这项多学科临床研究中心(PIT-MCRC)的申请要求扩大匹兹堡大学关节炎研究所的临床研究部分。这项建议建立在匹兹堡大学在风湿和肌肉骨骼疾病方面强大的跨学科研究基础上，以及关节炎研究所在过去8年中的成功。PIT-MCRC研究基地目前由来自67名首席调查员的140个独立资助的研究项目组成。PIT-MCRC研究基地的成员在既定的外部资金方面有出色的记录，目前得到超过5400万美元的联邦和非联邦赠款(年度直接费用)的支助。 PIT-MCRC将支持三个解决非常重要的临床问题的临床研究项目，一个是管理核心，一个是方法学核心。这三个临床研究项目涉及以下学科：成人和儿童风湿学、计算机科学、卫生服务研究、卫生经济学、少数族裔健康、老年病学和流行病学。 这些项目是：项目1-青少年类风湿性关节炎(JRA)的量化结果指标；项目2-关节置换中的差异：干预途径；项目3-炎症和老龄化：老年妇女的细胞因子、骨丢失和骨折；以及项目4-影像引导下的关节软骨清理术。 拟议的PIT-MCRC的两个核心将提供基础设施，以：i)促进关节炎和肌肉骨骼疾病的多学科临床研究，ii)提供研究设计和生物统计学支持，iii)鼓励新方法的开发，以及iv)培养受训人员和初级教员的教育和发展。除了将为申请中包括的四个临床研究项目提供支持外，匹兹堡-MCRC还将促进匹兹堡大学风湿和肌肉骨骼疾病临床研究项目的持续增长和生产力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Center (PITT-MCRC) application requests the expansion of the clinical research component of the University of Pittsburgh Arthritis Institute. This proposal builds on the strong interdisciplinary research base in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases at the University of Pittsburgh and on the success of the Arthritis Institute over the past 8 years. The PITT-MCRC research base currently consists of 140 independently funded research projects from 67 Principal Investigators. Members of the PITT-MCRC research base have an outstanding record of established extramural funding and are currently supported by federal and non-federal grants in excess of $54 million (annual direct costs). The PITT-MCRC will support three clinical research projects that address highly important clinical problems, an Administrative Core, and a Methodology Core. The three clinical research projects involve the following disciplines: adult and pediatric rheumatology, computer science, health services research, health economics, minority health, geriatrics, and epidemiology. These projects are: Project 1 - Quantitative Outcome Measures for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA); Project 2 - Disparity in Joint Replacement: Pathway to Intervention; Project 3 - Inflammation and Aging: Cytokines, Bone Loss, and Fracture in Older Women; and Project 4 - Image Guided Debridement of Articular Cartilage. The two Cores of the proposed PITT-MCRC will provide the infrastructure to: i) promote multidisciplinary clinical research in arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases, ii) provide study design and biostatistical support, iii) encourage the development of new methodologies, and iv) foster trainee and junior faculty education and development. In addition to the support that it will provide for the four clinical research projects included in the application, the PITT-MCRC will foster the continued growth and productivity of the clinical research programs in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases at the University of Pittsburgh.