CTSC:TTIC.040709

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Agenda

1. Demonstration of JIRA (new web based consultation tracking tool)
2. Budget Y02
3. Reorganization of bioinformatics consultation service
4. Presentation of mini-study sections for imaging project
5. Proposal for funding of imaging projects
6. Medical imaging informatics program
7. Discussion of new consultation (Dr Hagberg, cardiovascular imaging, Dr Chen, data analysis)

Harvard Translational Imaging Consortium Meeting Minutes April 7, 2009

In attendance:

• Gordon Williams
• Randy Gollub
• Valerie Humblet
• Simon Warfield
• Yong Gao
• Clare Tempany
• Ron Kikinis
• Stephan Voss
• Laura Alice
• Bill Hanlon
• Rudolph Pienaar
• Jeff Yapp

On the phone:

• Bruce Rosen
• Gordon Harris
• Maria Cervone

1. Demonstration of JIRA (new web based consultation tracking tool)

• Maria Cervone, Informatics Project Manager at the Center for Biomedical Informatics gave a demonstration of JIRA. The tool will be customized for each consortium offering consultation service (genetics, biostat, imaging) and can be customized accordingly.

2. Budget Y02

• On April 27, the CTSC central budget meeting will take place. Randy and Bruce will attend the meeting.
  • Gordon Williams gave an overview of what Catalyst Central is expected. Basically they want to make sure that the funds are used to go forward in translational science.
  • Randy asked for the budget to be consolidated. For example informatics might not get all the funding expected and we may need more support from Catalyst Central.
• On April 28, the translational group (Randy and Bruce for imaging, Jordan Smoller for genetics and Gordon Williams) will present the program in front of the Harvard Catalyst Core Operations Committee (COC). The COC oversees the work of the Harvard Catalyst Programs and their integration. It is the committee where the Program Leaders report their goals and progress to each other and discuss cross-Programmatic goals and obstacles. The COC evaluates the progress of each Program and determines whether the metrics are appropriate and milestones are met.
  • The 4 aims of the grant are already done but all are on-going activities and there is room for improvement, especially with the education program. The group must now define what is their vision for the next 3 or 4 years.
  • We are creating an infrastructure: data transfer, building network, etc.
  • A critical point for this group is his involvement and leadership at the national level with the other CTSA.

3. Reorganization of bioinformatics consultation service

• Bioinformatics will soon be incorporated in genetics. Their budget is transfered from informatics to translational technologies.

4. Presentation of mini-study sections for imaging project

• Catalyst Central wants to create a new concept added to the consultation service. They want to create integration groups around young investigators (PI), some sort of study sections so the PI will be able to use all the resources from the Catalyst combined. Most of the time, young investigators have great ideas but lack knowledge about the resources. The goal is to help PI's who need input from different groups.
• The mechanism of identification of these young PI is still in progress.
  • The technical expertise and the mentoring will come from the consultation service and the content expertise will come from the people who review the PCRR.
  • So far the goal would be to help 50 investigators per year.
  • It should be required that the young PI's proposals come with the support of 1 or 2 on-board mentors.
• The imaging consortium has a very important role to play in this new concept. As Simon mentioned, through our consultations, we can provide interaction and follow-up with the young PI.

5. Proposal for funding of imaging projects

• Clare and Gordon Williams worked on a proposal to be submitted to Catalyst Central. It is based on the process that was in place at the GCRC of the Brigham.
  • When a consult is submitted and it is estimated that the study will require money for pilot imaging data, a more rigorous review by Valerie and 2 other members (TBD depending on the project) will be required. It is crucial to get an IRB approval before the start of the study, An external review could come from the PCIR with a disease specialist.
  • A list of price per scan for each institutions is needed. We want to ensure equal distribution between sites.
  • Ron asked that the whole reviewing process be track through the soon to be launched JIRA system.
• The funding will come out of the pilot grant budget. The proposal will be showed to Catalyst Central on 4/27 or 4/28.

6. Medical imaging informatics program

• The team discussed who to best present the project to the Catalyst bioinformatics group.
  • Everybody agreed that it is important to stay at the basics and to go one step at a time when introducing the project.
• Randy will set up a meeting with the regulatory team: Barbara Bierer and Sabune Winkler to discuss compliance etc
• Simon emphasized that even if a lot of time is spend thinking about all the requirements, in the mean time job must be done.
  • Yong will set up several meetings (TIMC, Rudloph Pienaar and Ellen Grant etc) to meet with the investigator in order to get a better understanding of what they exactly need for their projects.

7. Discussion of new consultation (Dr Hagberg, cardiovascular imaging, Dr Cheng, data analysis)

• Ron will contact Dr Chen by phone to give him the informations about possible collaborators.
• Gordon Harris contacted several experts in cardiovascular imaging at MGH.
• Valerie will do the follow-up with the investigators for these new consults. She also informed the group that the previous consult request about imaging of the lingual nerve is on-going, a first scan time has been schedule to do some test on a healthy volunteer.