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IHSFC Proposal Text

How to Include the Integrative Health Sciences Facility Core in Your Grant Proposal

We strongly encourage investigators to consult the IHSFC in the early stages of developing a grant proposal. A well-thought-out study is essential to the credibility of the proposal as well as to the ultimate success of the study itself. IHSFC staff can help facilitate crucial study design decisions such as selecting the appropriate population, estimating the sample size, developing inclusion and exclusion criteria, choosing the experimental design, and identifying endpoints.

IHSFC resources can be included in a grant proposal in two ways:

  1. Incorporate a description of the applicable IHSFC resources in the resource section of the proposal. A general description of IHSFC resources can be found below.  Please feel free to modify this description to fit the needs of the proposal.
  2. Append a letter of support from the IHSFC. To request a letter, please contact Mary Garrard, RN, MSN with the following information: 
    • a brief description of your proposal;
    • the IHSFC resources you are interested in utilizing;
    • the funding agency;
    • the deadline for submission; and
    • the name and address of the recipient of the letter.

Cost-sharing:  Some IHSFC services are available at no charge, but others require cost-sharing and investigators will need to include these in grant proposal budgets. Please contact Mary Garrard, RN, MSN to discuss cost-sharing.

IHSFC PHYSICAL AND STAFF RESOURCES
The Integrative Health Sciences Facilities Core (IHSFC) serves the Oregon State University Environmental Health Sciences Center (EHSC). Our mission is to facilitate human clinical translational studies by OSU EHSC researchers in support of the Center’s goal of reducing individual susceptibility to environmental stress throughout the life-span.

Staff, Facilities and Equipment

The IHSFC can provide:

  • A physician to oversee the clinical aspects of translational studies.
  • A clinical research nurse coordinator to manage clinical research studies.
  • A biostatistitian to support design and data analysis considerations.
  • Clinical research space including an outpatient exam room, phlebotomy equipment and supplies, pulmonary function equipment, and data storage facilities.
  • Sample collection, processing, and (in development) long-term storage capability.
  • Access to a metabolic kitchen.
  • Access to a human performance laboratory equipped with fitness assessment and body composition analysis systems including bioelectric impedance, BOD POD, and ECG treadmill.
  • Access to clinical laboratory services.
  • Statistical hardware and software technology including current versions of important statistical packages such as S-Plus, SAS, StatXact, LogXact, nQuery advisor, and Matlab.

Services

1. Expert advice and assistance in designing and conducting translational studies:

  • Developing protocols: study design, analysis plan, confidentiality and privacy, instrument development, inclusion and exclusion criteria;
  • Preparing Institutional Review Board materials and managing ongoing Human Subjects Committee matters;
  • Recruitment, screening and retention of study participants; administration of informed consent; randomization and blinding; conducting follow-up;
  • Ensuring security of sensitive data and providing for data and safety monitoring.

2. Statistical support:

  • Grant proposal development: comparing alternative study designs, sample size/power analysis, dealing with sources of bias, anticipating analysis methods and issues;
  • Implementation of study design: more complex restricted randomizations, choosing treatments for incomplete blocks, dealing with unanticipated issues;
  • Data analysis: data screening, data visualization, statistical modeling consistent with study design, assessing model fit and model assumptions, responding to potential problems such as outliers and missing data;
  • Interpretation and presentation of results.

3. Clinical services:

  • Coordination of laboratory assessments, phlebotomy, and pathology services;
  • Evaluation of study volunteers to determine suitability for inclusion in clinical research projects;
  • Physical assessment of study volunteers including basic vital signs, focused physical examinations, body composition analysis, and physiological measurements such as lung function;
  • Reviewing and responding to adverse events.

4. Education and Training:

    Design, statistical issues, and implementation of translational research, utilizing a variety of resources including printed material, websites, shortcourses, seminars, and orientation materials for new faculty. Training will also be coordinated to ensure compliance of all research staff with regulatory and safety issues.

5. Collaboration with Oregon Health & Science University:

    In addition to the facilities and services available in-house at Oregon State University, we have developed close collaborations with Oregon Health & Science University and its Clinical & Translational Research Institute to implement studies that require a larger population base or that involve an ill study population.

6. Centralized biological specimen storage (in development)

See Staff Page for titles and background of IHFSC Staff.

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