Main Content

Director's Message

The CCTS aspires to become a national leader in clinical and translational research.

Welcome to the University of Mississippi’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science’s website. The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy was established in 1908 and is a leader in pharmacy education, professional and community service, and cutting-edge research. Within the School of Pharmacy, the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (RIPS) was established in 1964 to facilitate the discovery and dissemination of knowledge related to natural drug products. RIPS has grown since that time to include the National Center for Natural Products Research (NCNPR), the Center for Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management, and the Pii Center for Pharmaceutical Technology. In 2017, we were thrilled to open the fourth RIPS Center, the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS).

The CCTS is comprised of three units, spanning the translational spectrum. CCTS investigators utilize vertical integration in their research directives utilizing various approaches through experimental models and culminating in patient-based clinical research. The Pre-Clinical/Translational Unit is focused on the development of processes to move basic science discoveries towards translation into research in humans. The Clinical Research Unit is directed by Dr. Kim Adcock and works to implement clinical trials, with a special focus on Phase I trials and investigator-initiated research. Our third arm is a Community/Population Research Unit, directed by Dr. Meagan Brown, aligned to build upon the School of Pharmacy’s strong foundation in Community-Based Research in underserved areas of Mississippi. This CCTS structure provides a breadth of resources in translational research and we hope to serve as a conduit with established processes for connecting researchers and facilitating movement of discoveries along this spectrum.

The CCTS has extraordinary leadership of the research units and is uniquely positioned to bring together researchers from University of Mississippi, University of Mississippi Medical Center, and throughout the region to address many of the health problems that burden our populations. CCTS truly aspires to become a national leader in clinical and translational research and we look forward to working with others who share this vision.

Priority areas of investigation in CCTS currently include:

• Cardiometabolic disorders
• Cancer
• Neuroscience
• Infectious diseases
• Pediatrics
• Precision medicine
• Community-based research