Durham Center of Innovation to ADAPT

Operations Core

The Operations Core provides broad support for the ADAPT activities, including grant submission, establishing and managing financial accounts for specific projects, human resources, acquisitions, contracting, payroll for faculty and staff and IT support through 3 ADPACs and 2 Program Support Assistants to manage scientific software used by the center. 

Coordinated by Heidi Bassani (Heidi.Bassani@va.gov), Greeshma Thomas (greeshma.thomas@va.gov) and Amy Webster (Amy.Webster3@va.gov) 

Biostatistics Core

ADAPT has a long-established Biostatistics Unit that supports all studies within the center. The Unit currently includes three doctorate-level, seven staff statisticians, and two database programmers who work with ADAPT investigators at all stages of research –from project inception and grant writing, to study start-up, leading and conducting all analyses, preparing manuscripts, reports, and other deliverables.

The Biostatistics Unit has considerable expertise conducting and analyzing data from randomized trials, often with complicated designs (e.g., multi-site, dyads, provider-and patient-level interventions) and pragmatic trials (e.g., with electronic health record outcomes, stepped wedge designs). Additionally, the Biostatistics Unit has extensive institutional knowledge and expertise in VA electronic health data, now stored in CDW and OMOP within VINCI. We have designed and implemented several large observational cohort studies, becoming astute in statistical methods for causal inference.

Coordinated by Sandra Woolson, MS (Sandra.Woolson@va.gov)

Veterans Health Equity Core

Led by Sarah Wilson, PhD (Sarah.M.Wilson@va.gov), Matthew Crowley, MD (Matthew.Crowley@va.gov)

Coordinated by Courtni France, MPH (Courtni.France@va.gov) 

Investigator Development Core

The goal of the Investigator Development Core is to promote the ADAPT mission of supporting the successful professional advancement of trainees and early career VA investigators through facilitating high quality mentorship, building an interdisciplinary collaborative community, and connecting trainees and early career investigators with evidence-based career development offerings. The IDC hosts a monthly curriculum of sessions called “LAUNCH” (Learning and Understanding New Career Horizons) for fellows, CDAs and other early career investigators within ADAPT. The faculty members of this core are also leaders in the VA Advanced Fellowships housed within ADAPT: VA Quality Scholars, HSR Advanced Fellowship and the National Clinician Scholars Program.

Led by Karen Goldstein, MD, MSPH (Karen.Goldstein@va.gov) and Megan Shepherd-Banigan, PhD (Megan.Shepherd-Banigan@va.gov) 

Coordinated by Elizabeth Strawbridge, MPH (Elizabeth.Strawbridge@va.gov)

Qualitative Core

The Qualitative Core provides qualitative research and methods support to HSR&D ADAPT investigators and research staff.  The Core includes 4 masters-level qualitative analysts, 4 doctorate-level investigators, a postdoctoral fellow and a coordinator.  The Core functions include:

• Provide conceptual guidance, analytic support, and budgeting guidance as applicable for all phases of Center qualitative projects from grant proposal development and qualitative study design through data collection, coding, analyses, and dissemination of findings.
• Deepen capacity and expertise of Qualitative Core members, ADAPT investigators, and research staff through attending and sponsoring trainings, disseminating knowledge and skills to ADAPT members, assisting with qualitative software and transcription needs, and maintaining a qualitative tools and resources repository.
• Foster connections and partnerships through collaborating with other ADAPT Cores, Labs and Focused Areas of Research groups as well as other qualitative units locally and across the country.

Led by Heather King, PhD (Heather.King2@va.gov)
Coordinated by Abigail Shapiro, MPH (Abigail.Shapiro@va.gov)

Career Advancement and Professional Development Core

• Act as sponsors for the CAPD education fund, which provides financial support for staff pursuing training or networking activities that contribute to their role in the Center.
• Foster an environment where growth is encouraged among employees and investigators
• Increase and encourage use of the variety of CAPD related resources accessible to members of our Center
• Address areas of inequity that hinder staff growth and development