Investigator Training Resources
Translational Research Consult Program
The Michigan-Pittsburgh-Wyss Regenerative Medicine (MPWRM) Resource Center is one of the two national Resource Centers established by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)’s Dental Oral and Craniofacial Tissue Regeneration Consortium (DOCTRC) initiative. With the overarching goal of developing clinical trial-ready tissue engineering/ regenerative medicine products and protocols, the DOCTRC initiative is providing funding and resources through the Interdisciplinary Translational Project (ITP) program administered by the two national Resource Centers.
The MPWRM Resource Center brings together a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, engineers, scientists, and technology commercialization and regulatory experts from academia and industry to support the regenerative medicine research community by providing resources and expertise to guide innovations that address unmet clinical needs for the regeneration or restoration of DOC tissues.
The MPWRM Resource Center is currently supporting a variety of projects through its Interdisciplinary Translational Project (ITP) Program. While there is no current open request for applications for the ITP Program, we are extending the expertise of the MPWRM Resource Center to the broader DOC research community through the Translational Research Consult Program.
About the Translational Research Consult Program. The goal of the ITP program is to identify promising technologies that address clear unmet clinical need with market potential in the dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) space, and to catalyze clinical translation of these technologies towards FDA submissions to achieve high impact outcomes in clinical practice. In line with this goal, the Translational Research Consult program seeks to provide general guidance in a particular translational research discipline as related to the development of a technology towards clinical implementation in the DOC space. The program will provide an in-kind one-hour teleconference consultation with one of the MPWRM Resource Center’s members with expertise in a relevant topic, in response to information provided by the applicant through an online application process.
Examples of topics of discussions
- How might the envisioned product be classified, what elements affect this classification, and what are the pathways associated with that classification?
- What are some Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) protocol requirements that might be relevant to the envisioned product?
- What factors should be considered as first target indication is defined?
In addition to the consultation, participants of the Translational Research Consult Program will be invited to open sessions of MPWRM Resource Center retreats which may include training practicums and networking opportunities. Examples of previous practicums include presentations on market trends, IP management/ commercialization, quality management, clinical trials, regulatory, and funding opportunities. Travel expenses will not be covered by the program.
How to Apply. Research investigators from academic and non-profit institutions as well as small business who are developing a therapy (regardless of technology) to actively regenerate dental, oral, craniofacial tissue(s) can apply on a rolling basis (current ITP teams are not eligible for this program). Applications can be submitted via this link. Completion of the application does not guarantee that the MPWRM Resource Center will be able to provide the requested support. For questions about the Translational Research Consult Program, please contact Mutsumi Yoshida at yoshidam@umich.edu or (734) 764-4622.
