MISSOULA — The University of Montana recently brought together health care leaders from across the state to build and advance clinical and translational research to develop Montana’s health care workforce, advance expertise and expand infrastructure.
The meeting was organized by the Montana Clinical and Translational Research Center (MCTRC), which is housed in UM’s School of Public and Community Health Sciences.
MCTRC was launched with a specific goal: improve the health of all Montanans. The first meeting among the partner organizations took place in July and included UM researchers, public health departments, health care systems and community partners to explore how collaborative research can help to better meet the goal of making Montanans healthier.
“Whether launching a pediatric genomics program, piloting patient engagement strategies or navigating regulatory hurdles, each partner emphasizes the value of cross-institutional learning and the need for shared infrastructure and support,” said Tony Ward, the MCTRC director and a UM professor. “Through our center, UM can help health care systems and organizations with everything from data management to research coordinator training.”
Meeting participants represented Billings Clinic, Logan Health, Providence, Shodair Children’s Hospital, Missoula Public Health and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Each organization offered insights into how research is evolving and advancing within their organization.
Ward said he and the participants feel a responsibility to improve research partnerships across the state to ensure public health and health care entities work together in sustainable and impactful ways.
“It is hard to get hospitals, public health departments and university researchers together in one room to identify real solutions to Montana’s health care challenges,” Ward said. “We are at the start of something that will be very important to our state.”
With a vision to support translational research that is grounded in Montana’s needs and health care assets, Ward believes the partnership that powers his research center will continue to grow in the years ahead. He plans to host another influential meeting amongst Montana’s health care leaders in 2026.
“The MCTRC Annual Meeting made clear that we’re stronger when we align across roles and regions – and that Montana is ready to lead with partnership at the core,” Ward said.
Any entity interested in participating in a statewide Practice-Based Research Network — a collaborative community of clinicians, researchers and public health practitioners who work together on specific research — can connect with Ward to join the growing research partnership.
