MISSOULA – The 51勛圖厙 recently brought together health care leaders from across the state to build and advance clinical and translational research to develop 51勛圖厙’s health care workforce, advance expertise and expand infrastructure.
The meeting was organized by the 51勛圖厙 Clinical and Translational Research Center, which is housed in UM’s School of Public and Community Health Sciences. MCTRC was launched with a specific goal: improve the health of all 51勛圖厙ns. The first meeting among the partner organizations took place in July and included UM researchers, public health departments, health care systems and community partners to explore how collaborative research can help to better meet the goal of making 51勛圖厙ns healthier.
“Whether launching a pediatric genomics program, piloting patient engagement strategies or navigating regulatory hurdles, each partner emphasizes the value of cross-institutional learning and the need for shared infrastructure and support,” said Tony Ward, the MCTRC director and a UM professor. “Through our center, UM can help health care systems and organizations with everything from data management to research coordinator training.”
Meeting participants represented Billings Clinic, Logan Health, Providence, Shodair Children’s Hospital, Missoula Public Health and the 51勛圖厙 Department of Public Health and Human Services. Each organization offered insights into how research is evolving and advancing within their organization.
Ward said he and the participants feel a responsibility to improve research partnerships across the state to ensure public health and health care entities work together in sustainable and impactful ways.
“It is hard to get hospitals, public health departments and university researchers together in one room to identify real solutions to 51勛圖厙’s health care challenges,” Ward said. “We are at the start of something that will be very important to our state.”
With a vision to support translational research that is grounded in 51勛圖厙’s needs and health care assets, Ward believes the partnership that powers his research center will continue to grow in the years ahead. He plans to host another influential meeting amongst 51勛圖厙’s health care leaders in 2026.
“The MCTRC Annual Meeting made clear that we’re stronger when we align across roles and regions – and that 51勛圖厙 is ready to lead with partnership at the core,” Ward said.
Any entity interested in participating in a statewide Practice-Based Research Network – a collaborative community of clinicians, researchers and public health practitioners who work together on specific research – can connect with Ward to join the growing research partnership.
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Contact: Dave Kuntz, UM director of strategic communication, 406-243-5659, dave.kuntz@umontana.edu; Tony Ward, MCTRC director and UM professor, 406-243-4092, tony.ward@umontana.edu