Stanford Center for Clinical and Translational Education and Research (SCCTER) is an Independent Academic Center, established in 2007. SCCTER uses the outstanding and diversified interdisciplinary resources of the University to streamline, accelerate, and promote the translation of basic discoveries into practical solutions that improve human health in the community, and to educate the next generation of clinical and translational research (CTR) leaders.

Twelve highly coordinated Support Services and Programs, each led by a dedicated senior investigator and educator, emphasize three critical components of Stanford’s CTR effort: innovation, education, and implementation.

Announcing New SCCTER Leadership Appointments

Nicholas Gaich, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer (COO). Nick will be responsible for the operations, evaluation and tracking of SCCTER programs, defining workflow and operating procedures in conjunction with the program directors, and for compliance with University, Government, and external sponsor rules and regulations.

Chris Webb, Executive Director and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). As Chief Administrative Officer, Chris will oversee and coordinate the implementation of the twelve programs within SCCTER, playing a key role in developing the governance structure of the center, reporting to NIH on our progress, overseeing the resources of the center, and coordinating our activities with other CTSA organizations.

We are extremely pleased that both Nick and Chris have agreed to serve in these critical leadership roles. We have the highest degree of confidence that under their guidance and leadership this center will emerge as a significant resource to all researchers at Stanford, and as a leader among CTSAs across the country.

What is Clinical & Translational Research?

CLINICAL RESEARCH, as defined by the NIH (PHS 398 Part III Section 3), includes:

• Patient-oriented research. Research conducted with human subjects (or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator (or colleague) directly interacts with human subjects. This includes (a) mechanisms of human disease, (b) therapeutic interventions, (c) clinical trials, or (d) development of new technologies. Excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that utilize human tissues that cannot be linked to a living individual.
• Epidemiologic and behavioral studies
• Outcomes research and health services research

TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH, as defined by the NIH (RFA RM-08-002, Part II, Section I, Subpart 1), includes two areas:

• The process of applying discoveries generated during research in the laboratory, and in preclinical studies, to the development of trials and studies in humans
• Research aimed at enhancing the adoption of best practices in the community