The Stratton VA Medical Center has a medium sized funded research and development program involving Basic "bench top" Research, Health Services Research, and Clinical Trials Research.
The Basic Science Program includes research involving vascular endothelial cell barrier function, vascular endothelial - tumor cell interactions, cell biology and signal transduction in a variety of malignancies (including prostate and thyroid cancer), the mechanism of bladder dysfunction associated with obstruction (such as occurs in men with prostate problems), the physiology of bacterial and yeast infections, research on the anti-cancer effect of natural substances found in fruits (resveratrol), basic physiology of the cytoskeletal protein actin, the physiology of lung injury mediated by tumor necrosis factor, and the mechanism of brain cell injury following intracerebral bleeding.
The Health Services Research & Development Program includes research on health education programs for individuals and their caregivers with the goal of improving end-of-life care for patients with advanced illnesses.
The clinical program includes involvement in VA cooperative group studies, and a variety of infectious disease, cardiac, and oncology clinical trials. We also have a pilot VA gene and databank project in collaboration with the Center for Functional Genomics at the State University at Albany.
In fiscal year 2006, our research program involved approximately 45 clinical and basic science Principal Investigators with 48 clinical and 33 basic science studies.
We have seven research administrative staff, and about 15 laboratory technicians and study coordinators.
This web site is intended for VA Research staff. Veterans can find VA health care information at the VISN 2 website.
Regarding the ’07 version of the Good Clinical Practice courses, please be advised that there are no ‘07 Good Clinical Practice courses available through the Employee Education System(EES). The ’06 courses now on EES LIBRIX will be closed and unavailable after 12/31/06. At which time, the Overview of Good Clinical Practice & Human Subjects and the Good Clinical Practice – Update courses will be transitioned to Collaborative IRB Training Initiatives (CITI).
PRIDE recommends Collaborative IRB Training Initiatives (CITI) * to satisfy the annual requirement for training in both Good Clinical Practice and ethical principles of human research protection. Additionally, ORD accepts the completion of the CITI group called VA Only. See instructions for registering ** (25 KB, MS Word). If you have any questions about registering, please send an email to michael.fallon@va.gov.
Biosafety Training
The VA Office of Research and Development (ORD) has developed its Biosafety & Biosecurity Program to ensure the safety of individuals involved with research at Veterans Health Administration research laboratories and to protect the environment. The program strives to ensure the security and safety of all individuals, resources, information, biological agents, chemical agents and radiation materials/sources found within research laboratories. ORD's biosafety and biosecurity program functions in coordination with similar programs at individual medical centers. Activities at VA Central Office ORD involve developing VHA policy, issuing guidance, communicating training requirements and initiating training programs as well as working closely and coordinating with other Federal entities regarding biosafety, biosecurity and homeland defense. The annual mandatory training is now available on the CITI website.
The CITI Lab Animal Welfare Course
The CITI Laboratory Animal Welfare Course is now available. The course is an updated version of the course established by the VA at www.researchtraining.org. The course meets the federal (USDA, OLAW) requirements for basic training in the humane care and use of animals in research and teaching. The species specific training is also available on the CITI website.
The CITI Lab Animal Welfare Working Group
The CITI Lab Animal Welfare Working Group provides direction and oversight for the The CITI Lab Animal Welfare Course. The Group, consisting of veterinarians, IACUC members, IACUC chairs and IACUC coordinators, ethicists and lab animal users, meet semiannually to review the Program and develop new materials.
Introducing the “VA Research Data Security & Privacy” Web Course: Note: This course does not replace the annual training requirement for Cyber Security Awareness or Privacy. Those two courses must also be completed annually.
Who is Required to Take the Course? All staff involved in VA research including (but not limited to) all VA Research Office personnel, investigators, study coordinators, research assistants, trainees such as house officers and students, administrative support staff (including secretaries and clerks), and members of the IRB and Research & Development Committee. Personnel includes compensated and without compensation (WOC) employees, and IPAs. Local facilities must maintain documentation that training requirements have been met.
Please remember that all training is tracked by the research office on annual basis to be completed within 12 months from when you last completed the course. Please email or fax your completion certificates to the Research office:
Fax: 518-626-5628
Contact Jessica Capeci, HRPP Coordinator, with any questions or concerns (518) 626-5626.
* Links will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs Web site. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked web sites. The link will open in a new window.
** Links will take you to another government agency outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs Web site (VA). The link will open in a new window.
