The Clinical and Translation Research Executive Committee (CTREC) of Children's Hospital Boston (CHB) is charged with providing the leadership, oversight, and monitoring of the translational and clinical research enterprise at CHB, and is accountable to the CHB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the successful execution of these functions.

MISSION

To provide leadership and strategic planning in translational and clinical research at Children's Hospital Boston with the goal of improving child health outcomes

GOALS

Under its institutional leadership mandate, CTREC is charged with accomplishing the following goals:

1) Organizational Strategy: CTREC will assist in developing and monitoring the CHB strategic plan for translational and clinical research and facilitate institutional policy to ensure that this strategic plan will be effectively supported and implemented.

2) Operations: Key operational activities include the development and oversight of a well functioning translational and clinical research infrastructure which will provide a framework by which these research activities may be more collaborative, synergistic, and productive within the institution.

3) Resources and finances: CTREC will oversee the institutional resources and space related to translational and clinical research and will be accountable for the efficient and effective allocation of those resources. These activities include

a) Generation and monitoring of a CTREC budget

b) Strategic use of these funds for support of junior faculty, recruitment, and investment in promising collaborative research

c) Recommendations regarding the need for and allocation of translational and clinical research space

4) Education, Training, and Mentoring: CTREC will facilitate and in some cases oversee institutional educational, training, and mentoring initiatives in translational and clinical research to ensure that the CHB staff and trainees have the knowledge and skills to compete at the highest levels of the biomedical research endeavor.

5) Growth: CTREC will seek new research opportunities and help CHB translational and clinical investigators steer toward those opportunities. CTREC will contribute to the programmatic and financial growth of CHB by facilitating success in new research opportunities.

The CTREC will report administratively to the CEO and COO. Reports that summarize the activities of the CTREC will be presented on an annual basis. The Department of Research Administration will provide administrative support to the Committee, including coordination of meetings and recording and distribution of meeting minutes. The Vice President of Research Administration will assign an employee to serve as the Executive Secretary.

MEMBERSHIP

The Committee shall be comprised of 10-12 members as appointed by the CEO and COO in consultation with the Vice President of Research Administration, Director of Translational Research, Director of the Clinical Research Program and Department Chairs. Members are selected by virtue of their leadership roles within the institution and their experience and expertise in clinical and translational research. Members shall be authorities knowledgeable in the fields of extramural clinical and translational investigation, regulatory affairs, funding agencies and fundraising strategies, clinical trials design, management and evaluation, clinical and translational research, public health and epidemiology, and education and mentoring of clinical and translational investigators.

The Committee will have a multi-disciplinary representation of the various Departments of the Hospital. Final approval of a nomination is required by the applicable Department Chair, Division Chief, or Program Director. Representatives from Research Administration, Legal and Regulatory Affairs, and the Trust will be members of the Committee and shall be ex-officio positions.

Committee members will be invited to serve a term of three (3) years with the ability to serve two consecutive terms before being required to step down for a minimum of one year. The exception will be those who are members of the committee by virtue of their administrative positions and they may continue to serve on the committee indefinitely at the request of the CEO and COO. Vacancies on the Committee occurring after a nomination shall be filled by appointment from the CEO and COO with recommendations from the Committee and Chair. To the extent possible, these terms will be staggered to provide continuity of expertise to the committee.

The Chairperson will be responsible for the governance of the Committee and will be appointed by the CEO and COO. The role and responsibilities of the Chairperson will include but not be limited to the following:

1. Chair the meetings and prepare agendas with feedback from Committee members.

2. Establish subcommittees and working groups, review reports and recommendations submitted by subcommittees and working groups, and present these reports to the Committee as appropriate.

3. Determine and recommend changes in membership.

4. Serve as the liaison to other institutional committees.

5. Report on Committee activities and decisions to the CEO and COO on a regular basis.

FUNCTION

The Committee shall meet at least four times per year, or more frequently as circumstances dictate. Committee members shall:

1. Attend all scheduled meetings or provide advance notice when they are unable to attend.

2. Provide input to pending agenda items through use of email as well as in meetings.

A quorum for the conduct of any meeting will be 50% of the members and is required to hold a vote. A consensus by attending Committee members is required to approve any motions. Each member shall be expected to represent what is in the best interests of the institution and decisions that will support the best and highest quality clinical and translational research for the institution. A committee member shall also be independent and free from any relationship which would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment as a member of the committee. However, should an issue arise where any member recognizes a conflict, that member will note such conflict and recuse him/herself from discussions and voting on the topic.

The Chair and/or Committee may choose to create subcommittees or working groups as needed to achieve the goals and tasks of the committee.

1. A subcommittee is intended to be an ongoing committee that focuses on a particular area of continual need, such as education.

2. A working group is formed to address a specific issue, and is expected to continue only until the task is completed.

3. The Chairperson will appoint a member from the Executive Committee to serve on each subcommittee/working group, though each subcommittee or workgroup can designate their own chair. The subcommittee/workgroup chairperson will conduct meetings and serve as liaison with the Executive Committee.

4. The members of each subcommittee/working group can be comprised of Executive Committee members and representatives from other departments as needed for the purpose of the subcommittee/working group.

AMENDMENTS

Any charter amendment may be proposed by the Committee and implemented upon approval of COO and CEO.