Partner With Us
Patients, caregivers, and communities offer valuable insights into how factors like background, ethnicity, culture, beliefs, economic conditions, and environment affect health. Involving community groups in research from start to finish helps researchers understand health, disease, and the root causes of illness from a wider perspective.
Our Center places great value on including the community and patient voice in shaping health research. Learn more about our Patient Advisory Board (PAB), Community Advisory Board (CAB), and how to partner with us through community-academic partnerships.
Invite Us to Your Community Event
We attend community events in the DC Metropolitan area to raise awareness about clinical research and study participant right as well as share information about studies at our research institutions. Reach out to wendy.k.enriquez@medstar.net or to florencia.gonzalez@howard.edu to get us involved.
Participant Advisory Board (PAB)
Who are we?
Our volunteer Participant Advisory Board (PAB) includes clinical trial participants and patients who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the planning, recruitment, and running of research studies at our institutions.
The mission of our PAB is to provide diverse viewpoints that can influence research so it is more relevant, useful, and equitable.
GHUCCTS Participant Advisory Board
How does the PAB support research?
By providing feedback to research teams on various aspects of their studies. Typically, we meet with the investigating team, they explain what they would like to accomplish, and we provide insight. Some things we provide feedback on include:
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The way the study can be better designed
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If the study is possible to carry out within a given community
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Best ways to communicate the study to diverse communities
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Engaging with groups not typically represented in research
Interested in Joining?
If you are a patient, or family member of a patient, who has taken part in a research study and willing to share in sight about your experiences, complete the form below or contact Finie Richardson via email at fkhunter@howard.edu or call at 202-865-7743.
Community Advisory Board (CAB)
Who are we?
Our CAB members include leaders and key individuals from the Washington D.C. metropolitan area who have a broad reach in the community. The board includes church ministers, representatives from community-based organizations, and others who work at the grassroots level serving community health needs. They represent the social, cultural, linguistic, economic, and experiential diversity among members of our community.
How does the CAB support research?
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Ensures that our Center’s programs and activities meet the identified needs of the community.
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Helps set research priorities.
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Ensures that research is designed according to the highest ethical principles and in accordance with community norms.
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Makes recommendations for enhancing research participation among diverse and under-represented communities.
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Supports development of community-academic research partnerships.
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Provides assistance with recruitment for our Center’s studies.
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Advises on the most effective methods of disseminating research findings to participants and others in the community.
Interested in joining?
If you are interested in learning more about our CAB or becoming a member, contact Finie Richardson at fkhunter@howard.edu or Florencia Gonzalez by email at florencia.gonzalez@howard.edu or by phone at 202-865-7743.
Build Community-Academic Partnerships
Who are we?
The GHUCCTS Community Engagement (CE) team works to build partnerships between the local community and universities. Community partnerships are vital to our mission of conducting research to improve the public’s health and reduce health disparities.
We offer community-based organizations (i.e. faith based groups, non-profit organizations, coalitions) opportunities to build capacity in research and partner with investigators at our institutions. We offer the following services:
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Provide technical support on building organizational research infrastructure.
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Offer guidance on developing sustainable community-academic partnerships.
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Make introductions between community organizations and our institutions’ investigators.
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Review research grant proposals and provide recommended content.
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Offer resources for use of best practices in community engagement research.
To set up a consultation, please contact Florencia Gonzalez, Community Networks Manager, at florencia.gonzalez@howard.edu or call 202-865-7743. You may also contact Dr. Carla Williams at cdwilliams@howard.edu.