CTSC:TTIC.082608

Back to Collaboration:Harvard_CTSC
Action Items (details below)

1. All sites edit their consultation service listing (link to webpage on NAMIC site)

Harvard Translational Imaging Consortium Meeting Minutes August 26, 2008

In Attendance (by T-con):

• Gordon Williams
• Gordon Harris
• Annick D. Van den Abbeele
• Laura Alice, for Simon Warefield
• Bob Lenkinski
• Randy Gollub
• Jeff Yap
• Ann Schlesinger
• Zeke Bernstein-Hanley
• Carolyn Zyloney

1. Consultation Service web page
Randy has created a CTSC:ConsultationService on the wiki outlining the available imaging services at each institution. Imaging Consortium members are encouraged to edit this web page so it includes a more accurate and comprehensive list of available services. The page can also be edited to include links to the web pages for each hospital's imaging resources.

Annick has also outlined the goals of the Clinical Trials Subcommittee which can be used as guidance for the imaging consortium to develop our consultation service.

Randy met with Douglas MacFadden and Seanne Hanke to discuss IT support for the consultation web page. Topics discussed include:

• Creating a web based request receipt and tracking mechanism through which investigators can see the anticipated time required to complete the request and the person assigned to the request. A follow-up meeting will be held after 9/3. b)Potentially hiring a coordinator to update content, work w/the Research Navigators, and be Imaging’s in-house Navigator. Discussion of the qualities wanted in the Imaging Navigator as well as the time commitment necessary for the position will be discussed at the next meeting. Refer to the Research Navigator job description( link?). c) XNAT – XML, infront of data, Shawn Murphy co-developer; hiring an XNAT engineer who will be directed by informatics; also hiring another person (possibly less IT-ish) to work to customize, install, and help investigators (Imaging Research Nav?). They responded favorably to Randy's ideas and suggested that the imaging consortium's consultation service website could be a model for other CTSC groups.

2. Consultation Service
We should decide what consulting services we will and will not provide, so that a list of services can be posted on the wiki.

3. Education Program

4. Image Data Management and Shared Imaging Data

5. Curation of Site resources

Providing money for scan time through pilot grants

Money for scan time can be arranged through the pilot grant program not the consultation program. A link to the pilot grant program should be posted on the Connects web page. Gordon proposed that there be two mechanisms for investigators to get funding for scan time through the pilot grant program. 1)A larger grant (75-250K) can be available for large imaging projects. These proposals will require a full grant application, which will be reviewed scientifically. 2) Investigators seeking money for a small number of scans will be encouraged to apply for smaller grants (10-15K). The application for these funds will be shorter and review can be expedited to 10 days-2 weeks through a pilot grant central organization. The imaging consortium should come up with minimum criterion to qualify for these pilot grants, which can be posted on the website. A similar pilot grant application process will probably be made for other domains of research, such as genetics studies.

Unified imaging rates are possible by 2015.

Investigators are encouraged to use the scanning facilities at their own site. The CTSC will connect investigators to scanning facilities if none exist at their own institution. In order to scan at other institutions, it is necessary for investigators to find a collaborator there, and the CTSC Research Navigators may be able to assist investigators in forming collaborations.

Next meeting

The September 2 meeting is canceled. The September 9th meeting will be held at Harvard's Countway Library (room TBA) from 8:30-9:30. Topics to be discussed are the CTSC retreat, the clinical trials subcommittee, coming up with a budget, and creating job positions for an Imaging Navigator. Steven Voss will attend?