Clinical and Translational Issues Working Group

Working Group Leads:

Tim Corcoran, PhD (corcorante@upmc.edu)

 

Past Working Group Leads:

Terry Sanger, M.D., David M. Eckmann, PhD, MD

 

Announcements: 

12/11/2020:  For anyone with interest in the IMAG/MSM Multiscale Modeling and Viral Pandemics Working Group please see:

https://www.imagwiki.nibib.nih.gov/working-groups/multiscale-modeling-and-viral-pandemics 

To join the group:  https://forms.gle/1ZnbpKSAaGHbLmUUA

WG organizers:  Reinhard Laubenbacher, James A Glazier, James P. Sluka

12/11/2020:  Please see the new job announcements from SUNY Downstate and CDC posted here:  Job Opportunities in the Consortium | Interagency Modeling and Analysis Group (nih.gov)  

11/27/2020:  Science editorial regarding Modeling after COVID:  https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6520/1015?utm_campaign=toc_s…;

10/6/2020:  The NIH Common Fund’s Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) program wants to hear your ideas for ambitious collaborative goals that will help advance bioelectronic medicine!   Read the full Request for Information: Ambitious Collaborative Goals for Bioelectronic Medicine (NOT-RM-20-025) and send us your input by October 28, 2020: https://go.usa.gov/xGPuM   All responses should be sent by email to NIH-CF_SPARC@mail.nih.gov and/or on Twitter using the hashtag #NIH_SPARC

10/6/2020:  Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience (CRCNS) NSF Innovative Approaches to Science and Engineering Research on Brain Function. https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-MH-20-110.html   Supporting collaborative activities that will advance the understanding of nervous system structure and function, mechanisms underlying nervous system disorders, and computational strategies used by the nervous system.

 

Goals and Objectives:

MSM is fundamentally a scientific pursuit but one with strong engineering implications.

There is a long, well-established, empiric tradition in medicine which has been reinforced recently by the rising popularity and important of evidence-based medicine (EBM). In addition, many processes in industry are also built on empiricism.

The reverse of the empiric approach is an understandable skepticism regarding all things merely theoretical or hypothetical. Therefore we face an uphill battle in getting modeling of any kind noticed, accepted and used in medicine. It is incumbent on us to be the driving force for introducing end users in medicine and industry to the power of multiscale modeling to enhance clinical care or industrial productivity.

 

Achievements – Past Year

I.  6th Annual International Conference in Computational Surgery and Dual Training

IMAG partnered with COSINE to co-host the meeting, held at the University of Bordeaux (France) May 25-26, 2016.

This meeting provided a forum for new ideas to build the interdisciplinary curriculum of surgeons and computational scientists, and provide material for the continuous education of surgeons.  This conference covered:

          Computational Surgery and Disease Management

          Image Processing and Visualization for Surgical Intervention

          Image Driven Intervention and Robotics

          Modeling Simulation and Experimental Data

          Training

 

Announcing: The 7th Annual International Conference in Computational Surgery and Dual Training

         Organizer: Marc Garbey, PhD

         Location: NIH CAMPUS

         Date: TBD (within 9-12 months)

 

II. Special Section Articles on MSM for Clinical Translation, Annals of BME 

  1. Volume 44, September, 2016

  2. Tom Yankeelov, Special Section Editor

  3. Guy Genin - Special Report

 

MSM Meeting Breakout Session Agenda Notes:

Broad goals:

         1.      WG Leadership – identify  a co-lead to serve for 2 years

         2.      Define WG mission

                  a.  Simulation

                  b.  Graphics

                  c.  Education – bridging engineering, modeling and medical education

                  d.  Translate computational science as 3rd science method: observation, experiment, modeling

                  e.  Clinician and Industry engagement

         3.       Address open challenges for clinical translation of MSM

                  a)       Drive successful engagement with clinicians

                           1.       Encourage modeling and simulation publication in clinical journals

                           2.       Engage in “campaign” of “future horizons in modeling” for clinical specialties

                           3.       Engage medical societies to identify key issues where MSM might impact their members

                           4.       Demonstrate to “consumers” of MSM what “producers” of MSM can achieve/provide

                                    a.       Develop example workflows

                                    b.       Dissect clinical needs into MSM activities and demonstrate how modeling can address needs

                           5.       Participate in clinical society or specialty meetings / develop satellite meetings for clinician/modeler interactions

                           6.   Tap into the fact that medicine is becoming “protocol” and “best practices” driven to provide in silico answers to clinical questions

                           7.  Exploit the interface between modeling and clinical planning for personalization / individualization of therapy or intervention.

                b)       Integrate MSM with industry

                           1.       Outreach to industry – as for medical societies above

                                                a. Modeling to replace in vivo testing (animals, humans)

                                                b. Better pathways for Industry to be informed of MSM opportunities for partnering

                           2.       Sponsorships & partnerships – center development, meetings, personnel support, other grants (e.g., IUCRC, STTR, SBIR)

                           3.  Build profile outside of clinical medicine and into other translational domains.

                  c)       Intellectual Property

                           1. Reduce tension between public access to modeling and development of model-based IP

                           2. Work closely with universities and end users to define ownership of IP

         4.       Provide innovative approaches to eliminating barriers to clinical implementation, including:

                           a.       Metrics for assessing quality of data from models for clinical approval (enhanced collaboration for credible practices in modeling)

                           b.       Outreach/engagement involving clinical societies and industry

                           c.       Enhance communication resources for linking MSM to end users

         5.       Education, MSM and Clinical Translation

                           a.       MSM / computation & mathematical simulation in medical education & simulation training

                           b.       Instructional opportunities in MSM involving clinicians

                           c.       Training opportunities for postgraduate medical education

         6.        MSM and Devices (medical and other)

                        a. Participate in FDA device workshops

                        b. Integrate regulatory processes into education