Research update: Improvements in our research operations
Research is entrenched in our mission as an academic institution. We are committed to the pursuit of knowledge, advancement of the human condition and to anticipating the future needs of the communities we serve.

Dear colleagues,
Research is entrenched in our mission as an academic institution. In fact, the VCU School of Medicine accounts for more than half of the funded research for the entire university. We are committed to the pursuit of knowledge, advancement of the human condition and to anticipating the future needs of the communities we serve. This is how we serve, and will continue to serve, moving forward.
As has been shared previously, VCU is involved in bipartisan conversations at the state and federal level about how White House executive orders, federal agency directives and court decisions may impact the university. On Feb. 14, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued a letter to educational institutions across the country that provides compliance guidance. Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos is leading a team of officials to oversee VCU’s review of federal and state directives and orders. I encourage you to visitOVPRI's federal funding updates page for more information. The university is committed to supporting all members of our community in compliance with federal and state law and guidelines.
The evolving and challenging federal landscape only underscores the importance of the steps we’ve undertaken over the last year to constantly be improving our operations, maximizing efficiency, and making it easier for our talented faculty, fellows and students to do the groundbreaking and impactful work we do. I’m pleased with our progress to date and want to provide you with an update on the improvements we’ve made and where we’re headed:
Leadership alignment and resources
First, we are realigning the leadership of our research mission. Last year, Dr. Patrick Nana-Sinkam became our assistant vice president for clinical research, a national search for the next SOM senior associate dean of research is underway, and we are in the final stages of hiring a position dedicated to facilitating medical student research. We have also convened a Chairs Interdepartmental Research Collaboration group.
Informatics and data access
I’m pleased to report that informatics.vcu.edu is up and running. This is a first stop for standard questions and operational procedures. Many thanks to Gerry Moeller, M.D., for his leadership in this area.
We have also made incremental improvements to our existing systems, such as incorporating unstructured data, and EPIC integration with TriNetX, and have developed a proof of concept for Microsoft Fabric enterprise data architecture.
When it comes to accessing data, we have implemented a number of resources and process improvements, establishing a Data Access Committee [INSERT who is running], identified funding for research projects and secured approval for four FTEs (three honest brokers and one TriNetX specialist).
Medical student data access and research mentoring
On the issue of student access to data, we are working toward medical student access to EPIC for all learners on the health sciences campus. There will be different security controls depending if you are a M1, M2, M3 and M4.
Additional steps include completing a draft policy for use of PHI by learners in all the health sciences and a proof of concept for an EPIC slicer / dicer for cohort discovery. We are refining and finalizing policy, standards, tools and training materials for access to data for research purposes, with a view toward implementation across the VCU Health System and School of Medicine in March. If you have questions on policy, please reach out to Drs. Michael Donnenberg or Luan Lawson. Clinical data questions go to Dr. Patrick Nana-Sinkam.
As you should know, we have a dedicated webpage and database of 300 faculty, searchable by department and keywords, to help facilitate research and mentorship opportunities for medical students.
The SOM has received a donation that will send double the number of students to national meetings for the next four years! This is encouraging news.
Reviewing process for grant applications and post-docs
Finally, we are also reexamining our grant application review process and our post-Doc administration and guidelines. Specifically, we are exploring how we might create a program that would allow post-docs to transition into tenure roles. Additionally, we are looking for ways to support researchers and bridge funding to assist in downtime between grants.
To be sure, we have more work to do; work that has been complicated by challenging and uncertain times. I remain humbled and inspired by our commitment to doing it, and you have my commitment that we will work together to overcome the obstacles we may face moving forward. With the improvements outlined above and what is to come, we will continue our upward trajectory as a destination for top research learners and faculty, and position School of Medicine and VCU at the forefront of innovation and research excellence.
Thank you for all you do,
Arturo P. Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D.
Dean, VCU School of Medicine
Executive vice president for medical affairs, VCU Health System