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Original research
Scientific retreats with ‘speed dating’: networking to stimulate new interdisciplinary translational research collaborations and team science
  1. Damayanthi Ranwala1,
  2. Anthony J Alberg2,
  3. Kathleen T Brady1,
  4. Jihad S Obeid3,
  5. Randal Davis4,
  6. Perry V Halushka5,6
  1. 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research (SCTR) Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
  2. 2Department of Public Health Sciences, Hollings Cancer Center and South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
  3. 3Department of Public Health Sciences, South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
  4. 4South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
  5. 5Department of Pharmacology, South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
  6. 6Department of Medicine, South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
  1. Correspondence to Dr Damayanthi Ranwala, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research (SCTR) Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, 125 Doughty Street, Suite 100, Charleston, SC 29425-1950, USA; ranwala{at}musc.edu

Abstract

To stimulate the formation of new interdisciplinary translational research teams and innovative pilot projects, the South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research (SCTR) Institute (South Carolina Clinical and Translational Science Award, CTSA) initiated biannual scientific retreats with ‘speed dating’ networking sessions. Retreat themes were prioritized based on the following criteria; cross-cutting topic, unmet medical need, generation of novel technologies and methodologies. Each retreat begins with an external keynote speaker followed by a series of brief research presentations by local researchers focused on the retreat theme, articulating potential areas for new collaborations. After each session of presentations, there is a 30 min scientific ‘speed dating’ period during which the presenters meet with interested attendees to exchange ideas and discuss collaborations. Retreat attendees are eligible to compete for pilot project funds on the topic of the retreat theme. The 10 retreats held have had a total of 1004 participants, resulted in 61 pilot projects with new interdisciplinary teams, and 14 funded projects. The retreat format has been a successful mechanism to stimulate novel interdisciplinary research teams and innovative translational research projects. Future retreats will continue to target topics of cross-cutting importance to biomedical and public health research.

  • Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Translational Medical Research

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jim-2016-000261

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    Footnotes

    • Funding This work was supported in part by the South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research (SCTR) Institute, with an academic home at the Medical University of South Carolina, through a Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant numbers UL1 TR000062 and UL1 TR001450.

    • Disclaimer The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or NCATS.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.