Ten years of the Immune Tolerance Network: an integrated clinical research organization.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health Roadmap and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Critical Path Initiative have endorsed the establishment of large academic clinical research networks as part of the solution to the growing divide between increased R&D spending and the lagging number of new drugs making it to market. Clearly, the role of these networks as translational science incubators that complement industry-sponsored programs is laudable and much-needed. However, the path to success for such organizations is less clear. Here, drawing on the experiences of the Immune Tolerance Network, a multidisciplinary clinical research network founded in 1999, we discuss some of the barriers inherent in developing such consortia and offer firsthand insight into the planning, resources, and organizational infrastructure required for a successful research program.
Bluestone
Jeffrey A
JA
Immune Tolerance Network, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA.
Krensky
Alan M
AM
Turka
Laurence A
LA
Rotrosen
Daniel
D
Matthews
Jeffrey B
JB
D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005380:Financing, Government / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.) / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D016730:Program Development / Q000191:economics; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration