Collaboration & Mentorship

The state of Utah and the university have several established programs that facilitate family planning research.

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

The department has an extensive history of productive NIH-funding. Corresponding with this are long-term positive relationships between U of U investigators and NIH program scientists and administrators. The Department has become a leading academic force over the past 30 years. The Department has had a sustained academic focus and now has nationally recognized academic programs in maternal fetal medicine, family planning, reproductive genetics, reproductive immunology, reproductive endocrinology and urogynecology. 

The Department has an extensive history of productive NIH funded research research with several NICHD multicenter trials networks including participation in the Contraceptive Clinical Trials Network. The Department is also home to the ELEVATE Center, a collaborative statewide project addressing reductions in maternal mortality through improvements in obstetric care to native and rural populations and those with substance use disorders.  We are also a Women’s Reproductive Health Research (WRHR), one of 15 academic centers nationally funded by the NIH to support career development of future research leaders.

The clinical work of the Department occurs throughout the University of Utah healthcare system (U Health) which operates 11 community clinics spread across Salt Lake City and the entire State of Utah. In conjunction with the U Health Regional Affiliate Network, U Health provides services to residents throughout the state.

Obstetrics and Gynecology Research Network (OGRN)

Over the preceding two decades, the U of U Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has developed an experienced research infrastructure consisting of:

1. a central administrative core that provides protocol development as well as IRB, compliance, human resource, and financial oversight for all active research protocols, and, 
2. clinic research personnel in the five tertiary hospitals (which includes Intermountain Healthcare facilities), as well as the offices of over 120 women’s health care providers, in the northern Utah urban corridor.

Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)

The U of U Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) is directed by Dr. Rachel Hess. Building on this history of early translational research, the CTSI has leveraged its expertise in workforce development, community engagement, clinical trials services, informatics, regulatory knowledge, and research methodology (including population health science) to enhance translational science across the entire spectrum.

The core services offered by the Utah CTSI increase the visibility, volume, and quality of translational research by connecting investigators at the University with other health care institutions, clinical practitioners, public health personnel, patients, and research participants. CTSI formally links research activities across systems that together provide health care coverage to 80% of Utah’s population as well as patients in surrounding states.

To provide superior support for research across the spectrum of science, CTSI has established resources comprised in four Foundations for Discovery:

1. Clinical Trials Support;
2. Population Health Research;
3. Precision Medicine; and
4. Workforce Development.

In addition, there are centralized, cross cutting-cores available to investigators from all partnering organizations, including:

A) Biomedical Informatics Core (BMIC),

B) Community Collaboration Engagement Team (CCET),

C) Population Health Research;

D) Clinical Trials Services (CTS);

E) Data Science Services (DSS);

F) Cellular Translational Research Core (CTRC); and

G) Precision Medicine. The resources and services provided through the CTSI furthers the success of the clinical and translational research community.