The Transformation of the Clinical Research Center to the Center for Clinical and Translational Research
For nearly two centuries, MIT has been an epicenter of revolutionary scientific discovery across a wide spectrum of disciplines. In particular, the MIT Clinical Research Center (CRC) has supported investigators whose area of study increasingly encompasses human research, human science, and human life. The CRC was established in 1964 along with CRCs across the country. It is the first federally supported CRC located in a university and not within a hospital, highlighting the importance of MIT research in health sciences. Today, one third of MIT faculty and 40% of students are engaged in life sciences research. MIT’S IRB approves almost 800 active human subjects’ protocols with over 200 new protocols annually. Through strong collaboration with Tufts and other CTSI Hubs, local Academic Medical Centers, industry partners, and the vibrant Kendall Startup community, MIT continues to experience exponential growth and advances in human research.
MIT has renewed its commitment to translational research in health sciences by adding significant resources in this domain with the CRC being expanded in scope, space, and resource allocation into the new Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR). The CCTR is a far broader entity formally aligned with Tufts CTSI, MIT Medical, the Committee of Use of Humans in Experimental Science (COUHES), and the Office of Research Compliance. The CCTR’s HealthLab is contained within the Whitaker building dedicated to clinical and translational science and encompasses two renovated floors. MIT’s formation of the CCTR reflects the institutions mission to keep human subjects and the community safe while enabling MIT to comply with regulations and best practices. This newly expanded CCTR provides the infrastructure and resources to meet growing and changing demands while working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the world’s great challenges and for the betterment of mankind.