NCATS Strategic Plan to advance translational science, improve health outcomes

NCATS plan logo.

Graphic courtesy of NCATS.

Published October 16, 2024

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“NCATS has been especially committed to engaging multiple stakeholders for input and participation in the development of the plan."
Timothy F. Murphy, MD
Timothy Murphy.

After a thoughtful approach with community engagement, development, public and internal input, and drafting, NCATS (National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences) recently launched its 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. NCATS Director Joni L. Rutter, PhD, outlined the five-goal plan in a recent “Director’s Message” on the NCATS website.

“This strategic plan represents a thorough, dynamic approach to advancing our mission of turning research observations into health solutions through translational science,” Rutter wrote. “The plan’s goals and objectives were shaped by input from staff and external partners, including patient and community voices. Their input came during more than 40 roundtable discussions and through a public request for information.”

The five goals of the plan are:

  1. Advance development of and access to more treatments, particularly for diseases with unmet needs (read more)
  2. Empower everyone to contribute to and benefit from translational science (read more)
  3. Accelerate translational science by breaking barriers and boosting efficiency (read more)
  4. Leverage crosscutting strategies to enhance translational science (read more)
  5. Champion effective stewardship of translational science through transparency, integrity, accountability, and social responsibility (read more)

“Our strategic plan is a living document,” Rutter explained in her Director’s Message. “As we implement the plan, we will continuously assess and adapt our strategies, checking in with ourselves and our communities. We have built the plan to be flexible in order to handle new challenges, opportunities, and innovations as they emerge.”

The University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) is funded with a Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from NCATS, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). UB CTSI Director Timothy F. Murphy, MD, says NCATS has been responsive to the voice of hubs across the country, including the University at Buffalo, and has worked to build a plan that fits current issues facing the world.

“A noteworthy feature of this strategic plan is that it is informed by years of experience at 60-plus CTSA hubs throughout the country,” Murphy says. “Science changes quickly due to scholarly and technological advances. So, it is important to update the plan periodically to keep up with the rapid advances in translational science.”

NCATS’ new strategic plan replaces the previous plan released in fall 2016. In November 2022, a planning team began the updating process, with feedback solicited from the external community and internal NCATS staff. Input was received from more than 1,400 individuals.

“NCATS has been especially committed to engaging multiple stakeholders for input and participation in the development of the plan,” Murphy says. “In addition to expert scientists and national leaders, many others weighed in, including community leaders, patients, patient advocate organizations and others. It will be exciting for the Buffalo Translational Consortium to be a part of the implementation of this visionary plan.”

As Rutter put it in her Director’s Message, “Together, we can realize a future of more treatments for all people more quickly.”

The NCATS website features resources outlining the plan in detail. Highlights include:

Watch the CTSI’s Translational Spotlight newsletter and the NCATS website as the Strategic Plan is implemented over the next five years.