2023 Department of Pediatrics Academic Annual Report

Pediatric Research Office

The UAB Department of Pediatrics established the Pediatric Research Office (PRO) in 2015 to renew its commitment to the generation of new knowledge in the diagnosis, treatment and sequelae of pediatric diseases. The PRO makes it easier to participate in research by providing assistance related to the design, conduct and analysis of research conducted with children. The success of the PRO is reflected in the departmental accomplishments outlined in Dr. Cohen’s introduction to this year’s Academic Annual Report. In FY 2023, the Department of Pediatrics had funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling $25.4 million and total research funding of $43.1 million, reflecting a 14.7% increase in NIH funding and a 12% increase in overall funding compared to last year. Additionally, this reflects a 69% increase in NIH funding and a 51% increase in overall funding since inception of the office in 2015. We have 46 NIH awards secured by 34 investigators, and 31 (91%) of these investigators have used PRO services to advance their research. The PRO is led by David W. Kimberlin, M.D., vice-chair for Clinical and Translational Research in the Department of Pediatrics. PRO personnel and associated partners assist with the following core components of clinical and translational research:

David W. Kimberlin, M.D.

• Administrative Matters —process issues related to UAB Administration and the UAB/Children’s of Alabama interface, including transitioning and maintaining research records in Epic; integration with the UAB research enterprise; meetings with research faculty and tracking of departmental productivity • Research Development and Training —meetings with investigators to discuss research interests and funding opportunities; development of time lines, assembly of pre-submission review panels and scientific editing of applications; special expertise in the formulation of training plans for federal and private career development applications; support for the submission of UAB paperwork related to the Fiscal Approval Process (FAP), OnCore and the Shared Investigator Platform (SIP); assistance with Children’s of Alabama processes and forms, such as access to training for Epic, troubleshooting and ticket submission, Epic research tasks and pre-registration for research subject and monitor visits; and development and negotiation of industry budgets • The Child Health Research Unit —scheduling and oversight of the primary third floor space (which includes six exam rooms, a triage area, a specimen processing laboratory, small and large conference rooms, and workspace with monitors) as well as research freezers on the seventh floor • Biostatistics and Research Design —discussion of overall goals and study design, biostatistical analysis planning, sample size assessment, DSMB reports, final analyses at end of study, and final study report generation for use with manuscripts and grant applications • Informatics —supports data retrieval from the EHR for feasibility assessments, preliminary data and research protocols while ensuring proper oversight of data requests; participation in development of the Epic research module; and data visualization for research publications • Regulatory Support —assistance with IRB applications and regulatory documents, liaison to the IRB and provision of information related to standard operating procedures (SOPs) • Data Management —assistance with database development and management (TeleForm, SAS, EpiInfo, REDCap), data analysis and modeling, and training related to data management

PRO SERVICES UTILIZED, 10/22–9/23 (N=429 ENCOUNTERS FOR PRO SERVICES)

15 4%

41 10%

19

Administrative Matters

4%

36 8%

Research Development and Training

The Child Health Research Unit

44 10%

Biostatistics and Research Design

19 4%

Informatics

255 60%

Regulatory Support

Data Management

2023 Academic Annual Report

159