Overview
The Focused Flexible Accelerated Studies (FFASt) curriculum provides an immersive accelerated environment that addresses both fundamental and advanced topics in clinical and translational science. Learning opportunities are designed to shorten the formal didactic component of the training process without disrupting research productivity. These courses are typically taught during two consecutive half days, providing ~8-16 hours of instruction. This format was chosen to ensure that our trainees and scholars are exposed to an appropriate amount of information without negatively impacting their research. FFASt courses are offered once per quarter and offer a unique cluster of courses to specifically support the education of our scholars and trainees. Involvement in FFASt curricula is a requirement for all K, T, and Affiliated Scholars Advance Program trainees, but individual courses are open to any campus attendees who are interested in participating.
For questions about how to get involved with our FFASt courses, please contact Sydney Groesbeck, sgroesbe@hs.uci.edu.
Focused Flexible Accelerated Studies (FFASt) Course Offerings
FFASt Course Title – Topic & Description
Course Leader/Instructor
Hours
Responsible Conduct of Research – Addresses critical RCR components mandated by NIH (NOT-OD-22-055) and will include case studies and small group discussions.
Instruction is provided by expert faculty in RCR within a variety of disciplines.
16 hours
Rigor or Mortis – This course focuses on key elements necessary for producing rigorous and replicable science.
Oswald Steward, PhD, Past Senior Assoc. Dean for Research. National leader in promoting the best practices of rigor and reproducibility.
8 hours
Welcome to the Core – Guides scholars in developing a set of core values and engaging in active learning to guide scholars in their transition from mentee-to-mentor.
Graduate Studies Office & Vice Chancellor for Research
16 hours
Barcode: Good Laboratory Practices-Lite – Formal instruction in GLP needs to be provided at an early stage in a clinician’s/scientist’s research career. This course provides a “lite” version of key topics identified in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 21.
Peter Horvath, PhD, ICTS Biorepository Manager. Oversees ICTS personnel in Good Laboratory Practices.
8 hours
Sex and Gender as Biological Variables (SAGBV) – Provides an overview of the underlying science and genetic basis of SAGBV, gender considerations in human studies and animal models, SAGBV differences in disease, and strategies for addressing SAGBV in grant development.
Eric Vilain, MD, PhD, ICTS MPD. Internationally recognized expert who specializes in genetic and genomic medicine and differences in sex development.
8 hours
Team Science – Scholars are exposed to topics like team configuration, collaboration readiness, technological readiness, communication and coordination, conflict prevention, and management. Scholars also participate in a 360-Degree analysis which addresses emotional intelligence.
Maritza Salazar, PhD, ICTS Team Science Module Leader. Founding President and past Board Member of the International Network for the Science of Team Science.
8 hours
Community Engagement (CE) – Introduction to community-based participatory research, provides an overview of using community engagement studios to inform research, and includes interactive sessions in which scholars present their research and long-term objectives to patients and community leaders via the ICTS Community Advisory Board and the Community Health Research Exchange (CHRE) exchange.
Dara Sorkin, PhD, ICTS Community Engagement Leader.
8 hours
Recruitment & Retention – This course focuses on: 1) inadequate estimates of eligible participants, 2) strategies to improve enrollment, 3) how to increase enrollment of individuals from all backgrounds in clinical trials, 4) strategies to improve retention, 5) lack of trust between study staff and potential participants, and 6) effectively notifying care providers of ongoing clinical trials.
Joshua Grill, PhD, ICTS Accrual & Retention Leader. Dr. Grill is an expert in the science of recruitment and retention23,24. Leads UCI’s Alzheimer Disease Research Center.
8 hours
Statistical Design – Training in experimental design, conduct / analysis of clinical trials, advanced analytic methods for observational and laboratory studies, techniques to minimize bias, and reporting standards for both clinical trials and observational studies.
Joni Ricks-Oddie, PhD, Director, UCI Statistical Consulting Center, ICTS Statistics Leader
8 hours
Informatics, Big Data & AI/ML – Overview of enterprise-wide clinical and research data warehouses, honest broker mechanisms, biorepositories, and data security and privacy, and addresses AI/ML in the conduct of scientific research.
Kai Zheng, PhD, Director, UCI Center for Bioinformatics, ICTS Informatics Leader. Leading expert in the field of health informatics.
12 hours
Effective Mentoring – Provides scholars and trainees with an immersive experience that deepens their understanding and appreciation of mentoring via discussion, readings, and breakout groups.
Harinder Singh, PhD, ICTS Workforce Development Co-Leader.
14 hours
Dissemination & Implementation (D&I) – Introduce scholars to research approaches and strategies to overcome barriers of adoption, adaptation, integration, scale-up, and sustainability of evidence-based interventions, tools, policies, and guidelines.
Stephen Schueller, PhD. ICTS Dissemination and Implementation Unit Director
8 hours
Innovation & Entrepreneurship – Overview of technology transfer, entrepreneurship, intellectual property management, de-risking and marketing early-stage technologies, performing competitive landscape analyses, identifying markets, patents, and licensing potential technologies. K12 scholars participate in the Beall Faculty Founder Forums where they can interact with successful company founders who share ideas and help our scholars better understand key aspects and phases of technology development.
Carolyn Stephens, PhD. Managing Director, Enterprise Collaborations, UCI Beall Applied Innovation. Focuses on redefining the path of UCI entrepreneurship education, the mind-set of UCI researchers, and the University connection with industry and community.
8 hours
Focused Flexible Accelerated Studies (FFASt) Past Sessions