Program outline

RCMI Presidents will engage NIMHD Leadership and NIH IC Directors in a bidirectional conversation to address priorities for the RCMI program and highlight Return on Investment (ROI) of NIH/NIMHD funded research infrastructure, training and career development.

The RCMI Innovation Pipeline: Transforming Health Disparities Research into Market-Ready Solutions This interactive session, "The RCMI Innovation Pipeline: Transforming Health Disparities Research into Market-Ready Solutions," addresses the critical gap between academic discovery and real-world implementation. While academic publishing and grant awards are essential milestones, they are often insufficient to fully eliminate health disparities. True community impact requires "impact-scaling", the strategic translation of research into sustainable, market-ready products and services. Led by Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), in coordination with RCMI PI/PDs and Technology Transfer Offices, the workshop opens with a high-level walkthrough of the MSM Technology Transfer model. This case study demonstrates how an RCMI institution can secure 180+ patents and launch startups, specifically highlighting the journey of Vanrafia/Atrasentan from an initial RCMI pilot award to successful commercial licensing. Participants will be introduced to the Heilmeier Framework as a rigorous method to vet disclosures and plan for commercial viability. The "How" of the RCMI Innovation Pipeline is demystified through a deep dive into non-dilutive funding and strategic partnerships. The session will discuss the SBIR/STTR (R41-R44) grants for non-dilutive funding. The final segment features a multi-regional panel examining diverse RCMI technology transfer models from Historically Black Medical Schools (HBMS), East, Southwest, and Pacific cohorts. This final session focuses on overcoming the "infrastructure gap" and how to build an innovation culture within institutions with limited resources. Attendees will leave with a practical playbook to transform health disparities research into scalable solutions that directly serve the needs of underserved populations. Attendees will have the option to join future post-conference sessions on I-CORPS hubs, and on demystifying regulatory FDA/CLIA pathways.

Overarching Goal: To provide RCMI Administrators with practical strategies, tools, and insights to navigate challenges, optimize resources, and lead with impact. Session Objectives: Administrators will be able to: Improve their work efficiency and make better decisions based on data. Provide fiscal and administrative sessions for program managers and research administrators of the RCMI Consortium.

Featuring NIMHD Training, and other opportunities from Collaborating NIH ICs.

This workshop will feature presentations by Early-Stage Investigator (ESI) RCMI Scholars and a breakout session to discuss current challenges faced by ESIs. ESI RCMI Scholars will discuss their scientific accomplishments in pilot projects sponsored by their institutional RCMI program or by the RCMI-CC Clinical Research Pilot Project program. They will also discuss how RCMI resources advanced their research and academic careers. The breakout discussions will focus on ESI challenges and approaches to address these challenges. The objectives of this workshop are to: Learn about the scientific achievements of ESI RCMI Scholars supported by the RCMI Pilot Project programs and the RCMI-CC Clinical Research Pilot Project program. Discuss challenges faced by ESIs and potential solutions to advance their career development and research competitiveness.

This session discusses the implementation of the RCMI-CC National Data Repository, a cloud-based platform integrating clinical and Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) data to advance health research for all populations. It explores opportunities for sites to join, strategies for optimal care delivery, and real-world evidence best practices. Session Goals: Multi-Site Collaboration (General Session Open to Conference Participants): Introduce the RCMI-CC National Data Repository's governed, cloud-based framework to other RCMI sites. Closed Session Working-Group: CRN and RCMI-CC Team Integrate SDOH: Outline best practices for standardizing, harmonizing, and contributing SDOH from Electronic Health Record (EHR) data Review Exemplar Evidence: Detail actionable use cases from current CRN sites on best practices about recruitment, or retention, and data quality that is necessary for research involving improving optimal care delivery and combating health disparities.

This workshop is designed to introduce participants to cutting-edge tools and innovative methodologies that can strengthen research capacity, enhance data-driven decision-making, and accelerate progress toward the reduction and ultimate elimination of health disparities. By bridging technology with population health research, the workshop will highlight pathways for developing more precise, and impactful interventions Overarching Goal: To equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and practical strategies needed to effectively integrate advanced technologies into health disparities research and to foster innovative, collaborative solutions.

Introduce the RCMI Consortium to CTAC, and its unparalleled ecosystem of 50+ partners, including top scientists, physicians, community leaders, former FDA leaders, and industry executives who are leading thinkers in clinical research and access. Provide an update on CTAC's network of connected, community-based clinical care sites equipped with the tools and resources for sustainable participation in clinical research. Invite current RCMI CTAC sites at Morehouse School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College and Texas Southern University to share their experience Invite participation by interested RCMI U54 Centers.

Overarching Goal: Engage Consortium-wide RCMI U54 Center Administrators to share best practices on effective research administration and research compliance. Optimize data collection for reporting and evaluation of U54 Centers. Session Objectives: Optimize data collection for reporting and evaluation of U54 Centers Provide fiscal and administrative sessions for program managers and research administrators of the RCMI Consortium.

Workshop Objectives: Introduce participants to the key components of the BIDS cluster and highlight how they integrate with the RCMI Research Infrastructure Core (RIC) and existing RCMI U54 Centers BIDS resources. Explain the organizational structure, core functions, and mechanisms through which the BIDS cluster will provide support to the RCMI research community. Present concrete examples of deliverables from each BIDS cluster component to illustrate their roles and impact.

This interactive workshop provides a foundational orientation to the alignment between qualitative research design and rigorous analytic execution. Participants will engage in a guided, hands-on application of a qualitative analysis method using a public dataset to transform raw data into thematic insights. The objectives of this session are to: Explain how to align a research question with a rigorous analytic qualitative approach. Apply iterative coding techniques to a public dataset to identify emerging patterns, categories, and core themes. Evaluate strategies for ensuring rigor and trustworthiness in the transition from initial data immersion to the synthesis of qualitative findings.

Overarching Goal: Promote and strengthen academic and community partnerships in effectively supporting clinical and translational research that addresses diseases that disproportionately affect RCMI-communities, and exchange knowledge, skills, and resources. Specific Aims/Objectives: Discuss methodologies and metrics for assessing the long-term impact of community-engaged research projects on health outcomes, knowledge dissemination, and community empowerment. Facilitate discussion among community members and researchers to co-design community engagement strategies that reflect the values, priorities, and needs of all involved parties. Showcase success stories and tangible outcomes, demonstrating how robust community engagement science has led to measurable improvements in community health, scientific advancement, and collaborative partnerships.