Community Based Research Core

• To promote community participation in the PRCTRC decision making bodies (i.e., setting research priorities, reviewing patient recruitment and retention strategies, and advising researchers on the community relevance of clinical and translational research).
• To disseminate research efforts and findings, stimulate adoption of evidence based practices, and increase public trust in research and research participation.
• To design and facilitate training to PRCTRC researchers in community-based research, cultural sensitivity, and community recruitment and retention.
• To provide expert advice and support to researchers in the conduct of research in community settings.

• Community Engaged Research capacity building activities for researchers and for community based organizations.
• Technical assistance, consultation and financial support for collaborative efforts and Community Academic Research Partnership (CAPs) development.
• Translational research and Evidence Based Practices (EBP) promotion.
• Collaborative research partnerships promotion and community research dissemination, increasing public trust in research.

• Research collaborations
  • 20 Community Academic Partnerships (CAPs) have been supported (12 community engaged, 4 Community Based Participatory Research, 2 clinical research initiated, 2 community driven)
    • Some of the CAPs developed
    • A list of studies resulting from Community Academic Partnerships, supported by the
      Community-based Research Core, click here.
  • Over 35 MOUs with community-based organizations and other stakeholders; 5 multidisciplinary science teams;
  • 5 institutional collaborations:
    • Third Mission Institute of the Carlos Albizu University

• Agreement with the University of Puerto Rico- Medical Sciences Campus (UPR-MSC) Office of Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the identification, adaptation and implementation of a curriculum for Community Stakeholders in Human Subject Research and guidelines for the evaluation of Community Based Participatory Research.
• Partnership with the Puerto Rico Evidence Based Practices (PR-EBP) to support the dissemination of community evidence-based practices through:
  • First digital database of EBPs. The database includes over 400 practices and programs in the areas of substance abuse, cancer, neurological diseases, HIV, cardiovascular diseases, child maltreatment, home visiting/parenting, community violence and positive youth development
  • Enhanced access to the Puerto Rico Evidence Based Practices Website in Spanish
  • Peer-review publications on topics included in the database (Community Violence, Positive Youth Development)
  • Provision of capacity building to CBOs on program development.
• Translation to Practice (T3) & Translation to Public Health (T4) Studies supported by the PRCTRC
  • Over 94 community studies have been supported by the PRCTRC.

• 9 grants have been awarded by CBR supported investigators, resulting in $447,816 of funding obtained.

• Dissemination Efforts
  • Over 12 peer-reviewed publications
  • “DESAYUNANDO JUNTOS: SALUD Y CIENCIAS” is a collaboration between the Community Research & Engagement (OCRE) and the Community Engagement Initiative (STCE-INBRE). These Townhall activities aim to bring researchers and community
    members together to discuss how science can help provide better and additional services to the population that clinics and grassroots organizations serve. This opportunity is an attempt to disseminate the most recent scientific knowledge and its
    usefulness in the health services to those outside the academic community. A list of these townhall presentations can be found here.
  • Special Section/Article on Community Academic Partnerships in the Puerto Rico Health Science Journal 36 No. 2, June, 2017 and No. 4
  • 4 Manuals developed/translated:
  •  Principios de Vinculación Comunitaria
  • Estamos Listos? Herramientas para las colaboraciones académico comunitarias de camino a la Investigación-acción participativa.
  • Manual para los Investigadores y Académicos
  • Community Health Centers: Why Engage in Research and Hot to Get Started

• Public Policy
  • Activation and community activities
  • Technical Assistance in Policy and Practices
    • Revisions on best practices for partner violence prevention
  • Evaluation of Policies and Practices
  • Change in Public Policy

One way in which OCRE accomplishes its mission of building capacity for sustainable translational research through the establishment of community-academic partnerships, is working in collaboratively with the

Puerto Rico Evidence Based Board (PREBB). The PREBB is a diverse group of stakeholders that are responsible for developing and implementing an agenda to identify, establish, promote, and disseminate evidence-based practices/programs in areas of health promotion and disease prevention for Puerto Rico. This body is being subsidized by the Puerto Rico Strategic Framework State Prevention Enhancement Grant (PRSPF SPE) (SAMHSA Grant No. 1U79SP018656-01).

OFICINA DE ENLACE E INVESTIGACIÓN COMUNITARIA (OCRE)
PUERTO RICO CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH CONSORTIUM (PRCTRC)
ocre-prctrc.rcm@upr.edu
University of Puerto Rico
PO BOX 365067
San Juan, PR 00936-5067

MARIZAIDA SÁNCHEZ CESÁREO, PHD
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
marizaida.sanchez@upr.edu
787-522-9027 ext. 1608

EDNA ACOSTA PÉREZ, PHD, MSC
CO-LEADER
edna.acosta2@upr.edu
Cell: 787-672-0670
Work: 787-759-0306
Fax: 1-866-216-5811

MARIELA A. LUGO PICO, MS
CORE COORDINATOR
mariela.lugo@upr.edu

IDALIE HERNÁNDEZ GIERBOLINI, BA
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR
idalie.hernandez@upr.edu
787-522-9026 ext. 1607