The National Institutes of Health has awarded Brown University a $26 million, five-year grant to fund the third phase of Advance Rhode Island Clinical and Translational Research (Advance RI-CTR), the state's clinical and translational research hub, with work formally launching Sept. 3.

The grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences extends a program created in 2016 that connects laboratories, hospitals, community organizations and patients across Rhode Island.

What does the renewal fund?

The award supports a six-partner consortium: Brown University, the University of Rhode Island, Brown University Health, Care New England, the V.A. Providence Healthcare System, and community organizations. It backs investigators whose projects move from basic discovery into clinical and community settings.

"This is good news for Rhode Island that builds on previous federal investments in growing the state's research infrastructure," U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said. "I commend Brown University's commitment to advancing discovery and building collaborations across academic and healthcare systems in ways that translate research from the laboratory into data-driven best practices that improve the lives of patients and communities."

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Reps. Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo have also backed the program.

What has the program delivered in 10 years?

Advance RI-CTR has functioned as a startup engine for state-level health research, said Dr. Sharon Rounds, the program's principal investigator and associate dean for translational science at Brown's Warren Alpert Medical School.

Across the past decade, $11.2 million in program funding to Rhode Island researchers generated $132.4 million in subsequent private and government grants — a 12-to-1 return on investment. The program has supported 141 investigators, produced six commercial patents and trained more than 340 research mentors.

"The program has greatly expanded the research ecosystem in Rhode Island, not only by funding investigators and their work but also by training research mentors, all while fostering community partnerships and helping to create connections among institutions across the state," Rounds said.

Who leads the next phase?

Dr. Methodius Tuuli, professor and chair of obstetrics and gynecology at the Warren Alpert Medical School and executive chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Care New England, will co-lead the program and guide the statewide research infrastructure.

Dr. Mukesh K. Jain, senior associate provost for life sciences, senior vice president for health affairs, and dean of medicine and biological sciences at Brown, oversees the host institution.

"Its renewal comes at a pivotal moment, where our institutions, health systems and state government have worked together to create an environment poised to bring those discoveries to the patients who need them, and spur economic opportunities as well," Jain said.

What changes in phase three?

The new phase emphasizes deliberate collaboration. Investigators will gain expert consultation in quantitative, qualitative, implementation science, AI and digital health methodologies — a notable expansion from earlier methodological offerings. The network will grow to include regional and national partners, fund next-generation research leaders through multiple award mechanisms, and integrate community expertise into research design from the outset.

"Through intentional networking and collaboration, Advance RI-CTR will create more opportunities for researchers to connect with clinical and community partners, access expertise and resources, and develop multidisciplinary teams capable of tackling complex health challenges," Tuuli said.

"The third phase of the award will deepen these relationships while creating new pathways for collaboration," Tuuli added. "The focus is on what we can now accomplish together."

The $26 million award runs through 2031 and positions Rhode Island's translational research network to widen its methodological bench, particularly in AI and digital health, while institutionalizing community-engaged research practices across its six-partner consortium.