Clinical trials play an important role in both research and clinical care. That was the message shared by institutional leaders as the CCTS celebrated Clinical Trials Day on May 18, 2023. Over four hundred people came out for the in-person celebration at the Wallace Tumor Institute lobby on the UAB campus.

UAB leaders shared words of appreciation for clinical trials research.

Ray Watts, MD, UAB President, reflected on the history of clinical research at the University. "Our clinical research expenditures have tripled in the last decade; our research portfolio is over $700M a year. Everyone here plays a very important role in that."

Anupam Agarwal, MD, Dean of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine, added that clinical trials are patient focused first and foremost.  "Clinical trials are really what differentiate us. Enrolling patients in clinical trials advances the standard of care for almost every disease. We need to continue to lead the way not just for our city and state, but for the region. A major cause for us is to continue to grow our clinical trials effort so we can bring novel treatments and new ways for our patients to get better faster and with better results."

Christopher Brown, PhD, Vice President for Research at UAB, added that clinical trials a key part of UAB's future. "This is where it really happens. Clinical Trials are a key part of what we do in research but more importantly clinical care for our patients. We have a plan to grow clinical research dollars, and that's going to take partnership.”.

Clinical Trials Day is a time to celebrate the progress we all have made in clinical research over the last decade as well as to recognize those who work tirelessly every day to make these advances possible. On behalf of the CCTS community, we thank you for your dedication in helping us achieve excellence in research, care, and innovation.

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Written by Robert Brown, May 19, 2023.