Fall may be my favorite season, but Christmas is my favorite holiday. The lights, festive spirit, well wishes and time with family all warm my heart. And coming so close on the heals of Thanksgiving makes it extra special. So Merry Thanksmas, Happy Christgiving, or whatever other holidays are special to you.

Welcome to winter and our latest SPeCTr update. The network is transitioning with several studies either completely closing out or nearing the end of enrollment. And, on the other hand, gearing up for our largest clinical trial to date while launching 5 Jr Investigator pilots. Read on to learn more.

ACT NOW ESC (2 sites)

Early results published NEJM. Enrollment end 03/21/2022.

Follow up through 24-mo of age (into 2024).

KUMC – all 24-mo follow up complete. Preparing for closeout.

AHSM – 2 more pending 24-mo follow up (by Spring 2024)

ACT NOW Weaning (1 site)

Children’s Mercy/Truman Medical Center - Now University Health. The study is still actively enrolling, and we have 13. Follow up will be like ESC and extends to participant 24-month age. There is 1 participant who has completed follow up (another with half-completed); there are 10 who are pending follow up, 1 withdrawal.

Site PI: Dr. Rao

Coordinator: Allie Scott

MoVeUP App

Study activities completed the week of August 7th, 2023.

Actively undergoing closeout 

BREATHE

Running in Wichita. Enrolled 8 babies so far. Study enrollment far ahead of schedule and anticipate completion within the week.

PI: Dr. Kirsten Bjorkman        

Co-Is: Drs. Gretchen Homan, Aimee Daccache & Nicolas Lammoglia

Coordinators: Julie de la Garza, Sarah Krogman & Evelyn English

TWMB

SPeCTr has one of only five Jr Investigator pilots accepted by the network for full protocol development and implementation. We are anticipating study start in mid 2024. Our second site for the study is West Virginia. Study was submitted to cIRB, and we are in the middle of writing MOPs and all the other documents needed to run the study.

Study/Site PI: Dr. Brenda Salley            Clinic Site: KU MedWest Peds

Coordinator: Kristina Foster                   Clinic SubI's: Drs. Petelin & Breeden 

PhiTT

We have officially been selected as one of 10 sites for PhITT. We will run this one from Children's Mercy (and PCRU) targeting teens living in Kansas from primary care (NOT weight-management clinics). 

PI: Dr. Helena Laroche

Coordinator: Pete Muenks, PCRU Team, (Kristina Foster assist)

*Study descriptions were included in the Fall SPeCTr update.

Bridgette L. Jones, MD, MSCR endowed faculty investiture: 

Dr. Jones was recently awarded the Marion Merrell Dow/Missouri Endowed Chair in Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology in a ceremony on October 24, 2023 at Children's Mercy Research Institute. There were four other endowed positions awarded at the ceremony.

Ann Davis PhD,  MPH

Dr. Davis was recently selected by The University of Kansas Medical Center to receive one of the 2023 Faculty Investigator Research Awards. The awards are given to outstanding investigators who have demonstrated significant research accomplishments and a high potential for sustained productive research in the future. 

SPeCTr 2-Pager Update:

In an effort to 'prime the pipeline' in hopes of a third cycle renewal (2025), the network asked for every site to submit at least one 2-page proposal for a clinical trial. SPeCTr submitted/was involved in 3 of the 17 received. Drs Ann Davis and Bridgette Jones each submitted one and we collaborated with South Dakota (and others) for the third.

Dr. Jones' submission received favorable initial reviews and is approved to revise and resubmit. Dr. Davis' submission was just voted on by the network last week and we are awaiting the review, and the third one has not come up for review yet.

Click here for a description of the ECHO program and ongoing work.

All About Grants Podcasts | grants.nih.gov Another in the NIH series for Junior Investigators: What Early Career Researchers Should Know (Part 2) – Discovering Strengths to Advance Your Research Career. Reminder from Dr. Jessica Snowden: "stop underselling what you are – it is critical to frankly embrace what makes you unique and valuable and not undersell yourself. When you’re undervaluing yourself, you’re missing a chance to advocate for the kids that rely upon all of us as advocates."

Our SPeCTr Research Training page has many other useful resources.

In addition to our SPeCTr YouTube channel.

For questions or comments, contact Kristina Foster at:     kfoster6@kumc.edu or 913-485-4216 (cell)