# National Dissemination of I-Corps@NCATS: Accelerating Translation through Commercialization

> **NIH NIH UL1** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2020 · $983,738

## Abstract

ABSTRACT. By training our translational science workforce to better understand the commercial potential of
their research, the dissemination of the I-Corps@NCATS program provides an unprecedented opportunity to
accelerate scientific translation through the CTSA Hub and Network system. The I-Corps@NCATS program
was initially developed with a CTSA Administrative Supplement to Enhance Network Capacity (PA-16-328).
The 5-week I-Corps@NCATS short course was designed specifically to meet the needs of biomedical
scientists in academic medical centers and has demonstrated significant impact on the translation of scientific
discovery through commercialization. The dissemination of this program from the initial 9 I-Corps@NCATS
Mentor Nodes to an additional 13 CTSA Trainee Sites will increase the innovative capacity of the CTSA
Consortium and create a Translational Science National Innovation Network. We are using a robust Train-The-
Trainer model that has proven effective at disseminating a standardized curriculum and approach aimed at
improving our collective capacity for advancing biomedical research through to commercial products and
services. This approach will expand the scope and implementation of the I-Corps@NCATS training program
for clinical and translational investigators so that they may participate more fully in the commercialization
process from idea generation to clinical application and be prepared as teams to compete for SBIR/STTRs and
other NIH national programs. By working with 22 CTSA partners, we achieve an unparalleled critical mass of
innovators, experts, resources and public-private partnerships, which can shape and coordinate healthcare
research, facilitate commercialization efforts and provide a focal point for entrepreneurial interest and
investment. The dissemination of the I-Corps@NCATS program will accelerate the translation of biomedical
innovation across different stages of development by building the I-Corps@NCATS network capacity through a
national Train-The-Trainer program (Aim 1). We will apply a set of common metrics, that have already been
developed and tested, to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the I-Corps@NCATS program across
the expanded network of 22 CTSA Hubs (Aim 2). We will accelerate the transition of discoveries toward
improved healthcare services by laying the foundation for further dissemination across the CTSA network and
develop the Translational Science National Innovation Network (Aim 3). By disseminating an approach with
demonstrated effectiveness for validating the commercial potential of innovative ideas, advancing early stage
technologies and connecting potential collaborators to create new opportunities, we aim to have a significant
impact on the translation of scientific discoveries to improved human health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10022792
- **Project number:** 3UL1TR003096-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Molly Wasko
- **Activity code:** UL1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $983,738
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-05-06 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10022792

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10022792, National Dissemination of I-Corps@NCATS: Accelerating Translation through Commercialization (3UL1TR003096-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10022792. Licensed CC0.

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