What is "IDeA?"

The Institutional Development Award (IDeA) is a government mandated program that supports states with historically low levels of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The goals of the IDeA Clinical & Translational Research networks are to:

  • Strengthen infrastructure supports for clinical & translational research
  • Make investigators more competitive for research funding & programming
  • Increase collaborative research in medically underserved communities

As pictured on the NIH General Medical Sciences homepage, roughly half of the United States are IDeA-eligible states, including Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire.

A map of all IDeA-eligible states, as pictured on the NIH General Medical Sciences homepage.

The NNE-CTR—which covers the IDeA states of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire—is one of 13 IDeA-CTR programs in the country. Read more to learn about the IDeA network and the other 12 CTR sites.

 

What is "CTR?" -- Clinical & Translational Research

Clinical research is medical research that involves human participants. This includes clinical trials, which engage patients to test new treatments and therapies for disease. Clinical research can also use volunteers to participate in studies focused on health beyond just treatment, such as preventing, diagnosing, or understanding human diseases.

Translational research is the application of clinical and other research to impact health in some way. This type of research often takes one of two approaches: 1) Bench-to-Bedside and/or 2) Bedside-to-Practice.

Bench to Beside research approach: Taking discoveries made at the lab and applying them to studies in humans. Example: testing new drugs
Bedside-to-Practice approach: Taking lessons learned from medical settings and applying them to community practice. Example: developing affordable diagnostic tools based on high-tech tools in hospitals

What is the NNE-CTR?

We are a network of researchers, clinicians, and community partners across Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire dedicated to achieving health equity through innovative, regionally-relevant research.

Quick Links

Information
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  • Calendar of Events: Check out upcoming events relevant to our region
  • Navigation Services: Request a free consultation with our expert research navigators
  • Our Cores: Access specialized support in research technologies, analyses, outreach, & so much more

Questions?

Please email us with any questions or for assistance accessing services.

Become a Member

All NNE-CTR members have access to our services and support. Learn more about the free benefits of membership, and join today!