Innovation, Transformation, and Cutting-edge Science to Improve Health
The retirement of Robert “Bob” S. Sherwin, MD, the inaugural director of YCCI, is truly the end of an era, not only for YCCI but also for the School of Medicine and the wider Yale community. Retiring on December 31, 2018, after 44 years of service, Bob oversaw a period of remarkable growth for clinical and translational research at Yale; first as director of the General Clinical Research Center; then answering the call of the 2004 strategic planning process to lead YCCI; and finally as associate dean for clinical and translational research at the School of Medicine.
“We owe Bob and his family so much. He has given Yale School of Medicine almost a half a century of dedication. He has been an incredible mentor, scientist, clinician, and leader. Although he will be missed, I am so proud of all we have accomplished. Bob and I have worked with the chairs, Yale Medicine, and Yale New Haven Health System to truly transform the face of clinical research at Yale,” said Robert J. Alpern, MD, dean and Ensign Professor of Medicine.
Sherwin compiled an impressive record of accomplishments:
Yale became one of the first 12 CTSAs in 2006 and then the only funded CTSA in New England (funding was renewed for 5-year periods in 2011 and 2016)
- 137 YCCI Scholars
- OnCore/Epic integration
- Growth of industry work
- Development of the Cultural Ambassador Program
The Next Chapter…
“The challenge of replacing Bob while preparing YCCI for the future was no small task. Our Executive Committee spent a lot of time speaking to the External Scientific Advisory Board and looking at leadership models around the country,” said Alpern.
Given the massive centralization of institutional responsibilities at YCCI and the broad nature of the CTSA, the YCCI Executive Committee, which includes the deans of the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health as well as the executive leadership of both Yale Medicine and Yale New Haven Health, determined that the best strategy was to convert the Yale CTSA to a multi-PI structure. Although this transition came as part of Sherwin’s leave coverage, this change was planned to be introduced in the next Yale CTSA renewal application, as Yale has been reviewing this strategy for some time. It has been successfully implemented at many other CTSA institutions to enable the operationalization of innovations and transformational visions. After an extensive search, the committee selected Brian Smith, MD, and John Krystal, MD, as the new leaders of the program.
“As rewarding as it has been to oversee this transformation with Bob, I believe what we have done is lay an unbelievable foundation for us to continue to grow and build on. Converting the CTSA to a multi-PI model and recruiting Brian and John to be the next leaders will enable us to continue building for the future,” said Alpern.
Planning the future
Smith and Krystal were selected on the basis of their achievements and because they have been among the most active clinical chairs and researchers engaged in the CTSA, including assisting Sherwin in planning and writing the first Yale application. The executive leadership thought that Smith and Krystal would provide a strong bridge across the clinical practice and the health system, both of which are critical partners in the Yale CTSA. Further, given Smith’s secondary appointment in Biomedical Engineering, he will strengthen YCCI’s ties to the wider Yale campus. “We are very excited that Brian and John have agreed to accept the new roles. They are the ideal candidates to lead the next phase of clinical research transformation at Yale,” said Marna Borgstrom, CEO of the Yale New Haven Health System.
As rewarding as it has been to oversee this transformation with Bob, I believe what we have done is lay an unbelievable foundation for us to continue to grow and build on. Converting the CTSA to a multi-PI model and recruiting Brian and John to be the next leaders will enable us to continue building for the future.
Robert Alpern, MD, Dean and Ensign Professor of Medicine
Although the goals of the CTSA have remained essentially unchanged since the 2016 renewal, the YCCI program continues to evolve to address the needs of Yale’s clinical and translational research environment and the national CTSA program. Smith and the Yale team, now joined by Krystal, have focused on assessing the program and planning the next renewal application, which is likely to focus on further leveraging the strengths of the program, including training the next generation, leveraging the EHR, and community engagement. “The External Scientific Advisory Board has been continually impressed with the strides YCCI has made over the years. We have gotten to know Brian along the way and are confident that he will help YCCI continue along its solid path of growth,” said Lewis Landsberg, MD ’64, dean emeritus of Northwestern University Medical School and chair of YCCI’s External Scientific Advisory Board.
“We are very excited that Brian and John have agreed to accept the new roles. They are the ideal candidates to lead the next phase of clinical research transformation at Yale.”
Marna Borgstrom, MPH, CEO, Yale New Haven Health System
To further strengthen, diversify, and expand the expertise of YCCI’s leadership team, Eric Jose Velazquez, MD, the Robert W. Berliner Professor of Medicine (Cardiology); chief, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine at YSM; chief, Cardiovascular Medicine, Yale New Haven Hospital; physician-in-chief, Heart and Vascular Center, Yale New Haven Health, has agreed to join our team as deputy director for clinical trials innovation. Velazquez, previously professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Duke University, with appointments at the Duke Clinical Research Institute and Duke Global Health Institute, will join the five current Deputy Directors of YCCI.
A first-generation American, Velazquez was born in New York City where he attended Regis High School. He graduated from Williams College with a Bachelor’s degree with Honours in Psychology and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine and cardiology training at Duke University, including Fellowships in clinical research and echocardiography. Named the inaugural Greenfield Scholar of Cardiology in 2001, Velazquez joined Duke University faculty and built a noteworthy career spanning patient care, research, and education. He was named Professor of Medicine with tenure in 2012. He also served as Director of the Duke Cardiac Diagnostic Unit and Echocardiography Laboratories, as the Associate Director of the Duke Heart Center, and Director, Late Phase Clinical Trials at the Duke Clinical Research Institute.
Velazquez is ideally suited for this role as he is a clinician-investigator whose major contributions to science include the design, development, and implementation of landmark randomized clinical trials that have altered international guidelines for the treatment of patients with chronic heart failure, particularly those with concomitant coronary artery disease. Although Velazquez has been at Yale for only a short period of time, joining the institution in June 2018, he has been very actively engaged in YCCI/CTSA activities. In fact, just a month after his arrival, he joined in the YCCI retreat devoted to strategic planning for the future of the informatics and biostatistics resources. The retreat included leaders from Yale and eight other CTSA hubs. In addition, Velazquez has been actively engaged in the restructuring of the YCCI IND/IDE support unit and in the management of the multicenter unit, including embedding his own 50 site NHLBI-funded project within the unit.
“Prior to making a decision to come to Yale, I met with the YCCI team and was so impressed with their structure and the potential, I embedded my own project with them. It is an honor to join Brian, John, and the YCCI team. Although Yale through the YCCI has achieved much already, there is much more to do and the potential is limitless to innovate and leverage the partnership of the Yale School of Medicine and Yale New Haven Health delivery network to more fully integrate clinical trials in the community and into the fabric of our lives as patients, clinicians, and investigators.”
Eric Jose Velazquez, MD, YCCI Deputy Director for Clinical Trials Innovation
“Bob built a wonderful team. With the addition of Eric, who I am sure will be an asset to both the Yale program and the national CTSA consortium, I think John and I are well poised to continue the transformation Bob helped to launch at Yale,” said Smith.