Penn state clinical and translational science institute

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences awarded a cooperative agreement totaling $7.892 million to Pennsylvania State University (operating as Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center) on August 6, 2026, under CFDA 93.350. The award funds the Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) to advance clinical and translational science through investigator-centered research infrastructure, development and dissemination of innovations, expansion of Pennsylvania's translational science network, and education and training programs grounded in three core pillars: research infrastructure, community connections, and education and training.

The CTSI serves rural Pennsylvania through partnerships with Allegheny Health Network/Highmark Health, Primary Health Network, Geisinger Health, and the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers. The network encompasses 32 hospitals, over 1,100 clinics and health centers, and provides care to over 5 million patients. Penn State's service area includes 48 of Pennsylvania's 67 rural counties, where 3.1 million residents (nearly 25 percent of the state's population) face higher rates of chronic disease and premature death.

The award covers the period through May 31, 2033. Work is performed at the place of performance in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Abstract

Since 2011, penn state clinical and translational science institute (ctsi) has led transformational change across the university and beyond, embracing clinical and translational science best practices to advance rural health. Penn state ctsi leverages its team of established research leaders, the university's land-grant mission, 17 commonwealth campuses, and its academic health system, penn state health, to identify and address the specific needs of rural communities through evidence-informed practices and programs grounded in three core pillars: research infrastructure, community connections, and education and training. Building on its strong institutional leadership and engagement, the ctsi has established a clinical network of partners (allegheny health network/highmark health) and collaborators (primary health network, geisinger health, and the pennsylvania association of community health centers) with an expansive rural footprint across pennsylvania, including 32 hospitals, over 1,100 clinics and health centers, and care provision for over 5,000,000 patients. Pennsylvania has a substantial rural population, with 48 of 67 counties designated as rural and over 3.1 million residents, nearly 25% of the state's population, living in rural areas. These communities face higher rates of chronic disease and premature death and are less likely to participate in clinical research, contributing to the challenges to improving health. Penn state ctsi is expertly positioned to address these challenges through the following specific aims: aim 1: advance clinical and translational science through investigator-centered research infrastructure and the development, demonstration and dissemination of innovations across pennsylvania and the ctsa network. Aim 2: expand our pennsylvania network through our partnerships, collaborations and national ctsa networks to facilitate and accelerate translational science to advance health, with a focus on rural communities. Aim 3: cultivate a multidisciplinary workforce committed to rural translational science. Aim 4: leverage real-world data from our learning health system and rural clinical research network through data science and informatics to advance rural health. Each aim is aligned to a core pillar of our approach. Aims 1 and 4 anchor the research infrastructure pillar, ensuring a strong, adaptable platform for clinical and translational science. Aim 2 drives the community connections pillar, embedding collaborative engagement with rural-serving partners to accelerate impact. Aim 3 forms the basis of the education and training pillar to expand capacity to advance health by cultivating a skilled, multidisciplinary workforce. The integration of these pillars supports a comprehensive, sustainable vision for translational science, positioning penn state ctsi as a national leader in rural health innovation, advancing the science of translation while ensuring that its benefits reach communities across pennsylvania.