Events under 'TraCS-sponsored'

Introducing TriNetX and Epic Cosmos

Peter Leese, MSPH, will introduce TriNetX and Epic Cosmos—the retrospective EHR data systems available at Carolina. Leese will also discuss the currently available published literature using data from these systems, as well as his perspective on using these systems to conduct high-quality, responsible research.

Speaker:
Peter Leese, MSPH
Program Director & Lead Scientist
TraCS Data Science Lab

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Seminars in the NC TraCS Data Science Lab Seminar Series cover a range of topics related to health care data science, clinical data, data engineering, and working in these areas at UNC-Chapel Hill. These hybrid seminars are usually held monthly on the third Tuesday of each month from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the NC TraCS suite (room 219) on the 2nd floor of Brinkhous-Bullitt or via Zoom.

Introduction to Data Analysis for Beginners

This 3-morning course is intended as a basic introduction to statistical terms, methodologies, and analysis strategies commonly used in clinical and translational research. The goal of this course is for participants to understand the vocabulary and fundamental concepts of biostatistics that will allow them to better design, implement, and analyze research studies as well as communicate more effectively with biostatisticians.

Presenter:
Marcy Boynton, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of General Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology
UNC School of Medicine

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NC TraCS is hosting a 4-session, virtual Clinical Trialist Training Bootcamp beginning on August 3rd.

The goal of the bootcamp is to educate current and future site Principal Investigators on industry-sponsored clinical trials, including the landscape of clinical trials at UNC-Chapel Hill; how to evaluate study opportunities; elements of study start-up; investigator responsibilities; and overseeing a study throughout its life cycle. Investigators should leave the training with more confidence on how to conduct industry-sponsored clinical trials and manage research teams.

Sessions are held on Mondays via Zoom from 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET on each of the following dates:

- Monday, August 3: Introduction, NC TraCS services, SHIRE overview, Research opportunities & workflow development
- Monday, August 17: Budget preparation, Contract review & execution, IRB application
- Monday, August 31: PI responsibilities, Participant recruitment, Participant engagement, Consent
- Monday, September 21: Oncore overview, Adverse events & protocol deviations, Site visits, Coordinator & staff oversight

Please contact Laura Hansen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions regarding this training.

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Introduction to Data Analysis for Beginners

This 3-morning course is intended as a basic introduction to statistical terms, methodologies, and analysis strategies commonly used in clinical and translational research. The goal of this course is for participants to understand the vocabulary and fundamental concepts of biostatistics that will allow them to better design, implement, and analyze research studies as well as communicate more effectively with biostatisticians.

Presenter:
Marcy Boynton, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of General Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology
UNC School of Medicine

Register

Introduction to Data Analysis for Beginners

This 3-morning course is intended as a basic introduction to statistical terms, methodologies, and analysis strategies commonly used in clinical and translational research. The goal of this course is for participants to understand the vocabulary and fundamental concepts of biostatistics that will allow them to better design, implement, and analyze research studies as well as communicate more effectively with biostatisticians.

Presenter:
Marcy Boynton, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of General Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology
UNC School of Medicine

Register

NC TraCS is hosting a 4-session, virtual Clinical Trialist Training Bootcamp beginning on August 3rd.

The goal of the bootcamp is to educate current and future site Principal Investigators on industry-sponsored clinical trials, including the landscape of clinical trials at UNC-Chapel Hill; how to evaluate study opportunities; elements of study start-up; investigator responsibilities; and overseeing a study throughout its life cycle. Investigators should leave the training with more confidence on how to conduct industry-sponsored clinical trials and manage research teams.

Sessions are held on Mondays via Zoom from 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET on each of the following dates:

- Monday, August 3: Introduction, NC TraCS services, SHIRE overview, Research opportunities & workflow development
- Monday, August 17: Budget preparation, Contract review & execution, IRB application
- Monday, August 31: PI responsibilities, Participant recruitment, Participant engagement, Consent
- Monday, September 21: Oncore overview, Adverse events & protocol deviations, Site visits, Coordinator & staff oversight

Please contact Laura Hansen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions regarding this training.

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Explainable AI

A common criticism of AI is that it operates as a black box, providing no insight into how results are generated. In this seminar, Josh Fuchs, PhD, will introduce Explainable AI — a set of approaches for understanding and interpreting how classical Machine Learning models and Large Language Models produce their predictions. Understanding the 'why' behind AI outputs is essential for building appropriate trust, identifying bias, and supporting safe deployment in high-stakes settings like healthcare.

Speaker:
Josh Fuchs, PhD
Research Data Scientist
TraCS Data Science Lab

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Seminars in the NC TraCS Data Science Lab Seminar Series cover a range of topics related to health care data science, clinical data, data engineering, and working in these areas at UNC-Chapel Hill. These hybrid seminars are usually held monthly on the third Tuesday of the month from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the NC TraCS suite (room 219) on the 2nd floor of Brinkhous-Bullitt or via Zoom.

NC TraCS is hosting a 4-session, virtual Clinical Trialist Training Bootcamp beginning on August 3rd.

The goal of the bootcamp is to educate current and future site Principal Investigators on industry-sponsored clinical trials, including the landscape of clinical trials at UNC-Chapel Hill; how to evaluate study opportunities; elements of study start-up; investigator responsibilities; and overseeing a study throughout its life cycle. Investigators should leave the training with more confidence on how to conduct industry-sponsored clinical trials and manage research teams.

Sessions are held on Mondays via Zoom from 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET on each of the following dates:

- Monday, August 3: Introduction, NC TraCS services, SHIRE overview, Research opportunities & workflow development
- Monday, August 17: Budget preparation, Contract review & execution, IRB application
- Monday, August 31: PI responsibilities, Participant recruitment, Participant engagement, Consent
- Monday, September 21: Oncore overview, Adverse events & protocol deviations, Site visits, Coordinator & staff oversight

Please contact Laura Hansen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions regarding this training.

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This online training session will provide an introduction to qualitative research methods. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and share experiences conducting qualitative research. Topics include: differences between quantitative and qualitative research, qualitative research methodologies, strategies for qualitative data collection, & methods of qualitative data analysis.

This event is part of the NC TraCS Qualitative Research Training Series and may be recorded. Materials such as slides or handouts will be shared with documented attendees only.

Presenters:
MaryBeth Grewe, MPH
Program Manager, Qualitative Research Service
Research Specialist, Patient and Community Engagement in Research (PaCER) Program

Simone Frank, MPH
Senior Project Manager, Patient and Community Engagement in Research (PaCER) Program
Research Specialist, Qualitative Research Service

For questions about this training, please contact MaryBeth Grewe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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This interactive online workshop will focus on semi-structured interviewing, a data collection method used in qualitative research. Topics covered will include basics of semi-structured interviews, development of interview questions and probes, interviewing skills, and considerations for conducting virtual interviews. Participants will have the opportunity to practice developing interview questions and using interviewing skills.

This event is part of the NC TraCS Qualitative Research Training Series and may be recorded. Materials such as slides or handouts will be shared with documented attendees only.

Presenters:
MaryBeth Grewe, MPH
Program Manager, Qualitative Research Service
Research Specialist, Patient and Community Engagement in Research (PaCER) Program

Simone Frank, MPH
Senior Project Manager, Patient and Community Engagement in Research (PaCER) Program
Research Specialist, Qualitative Research Service

For questions about this training, please contact MaryBeth Grewe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Register

NC TraCS is hosting a 4-session, virtual Clinical Trialist Training Bootcamp beginning on August 3rd.

The goal of the bootcamp is to educate current and future site Principal Investigators on industry-sponsored clinical trials, including the landscape of clinical trials at UNC-Chapel Hill; how to evaluate study opportunities; elements of study start-up; investigator responsibilities; and overseeing a study throughout its life cycle. Investigators should leave the training with more confidence on how to conduct industry-sponsored clinical trials and manage research teams.

Sessions are held on Mondays via Zoom from 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET on each of the following dates:

- Monday, August 3: Introduction, NC TraCS services, SHIRE overview, Research opportunities & workflow development
- Monday, August 17: Budget preparation, Contract review & execution, IRB application
- Monday, August 31: PI responsibilities, Participant recruitment, Participant engagement, Consent
- Monday, September 21: Oncore overview, Adverse events & protocol deviations, Site visits, Coordinator & staff oversight

Please contact Laura Hansen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions regarding this training.

Register

This interactive online workshop will provide an introduction to focus groups, a data collection method used in qualitative research. Topics covered will include focus group methodology, considerations for planning a focus group, development of focus group discussion guides, focus group facilitation skills, and tips for conducting virtual focus groups. Attendees will also observe or participate in a mini "mock" virtual focus group session.

This event is part of the NC TraCS Qualitative Research Training Series and may be recorded. Materials such as slides or handouts will be shared with documented attendees only.

Presenters:
MaryBeth Grewe, MPH
Program Manager, Qualitative Research Service
Research Specialist, Patient and Community Engagement in Research (PaCER) Program

Simone Frank, MPH
Senior Project Manager, Patient and Community Engagement in Research (PaCER) Program
Research Specialist, Qualitative Research Service

For questions about this training, please contact MaryBeth Grewe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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This online training will provide an introduction to qualitative data analysis, focusing on content/thematic analysis. The session will cover the basics of qualitative data analysis and steps in the analysis process, including transcribing, memoing, codebook development and coding, exploring content areas or themes, and interpreting and communicating findings. Participants will have the opportunity to practice developing and applying codes. Note that we will not be demonstrating how to use qualitative data analysis software during this session.

This event is part of the NC TraCS Qualitative Research Training Series and may be recorded. Materials such as slides or handouts will be shared with documented attendees only.

Presenters:
MaryBeth Grewe, MPH
Program Manager, Qualitative Research Service
Research Specialist, Patient and Community Engagement in Research (PaCER) Program

Simone Frank, MPH
Senior Project Manager, Patient and Community Engagement in Research (PaCER) Program
Research Specialist, Qualitative Research Service

For questions about this training, please contact MaryBeth Grewe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Register

In this session, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and seek feedback on their qualitative analysis from facilitators and other attendees. To attend, participants must be working on a qualitative data analysis project and can seek feedback on any step in the process (e.g., coding; creating matrices, diagrams, or other products; developing categories or themes; summarizing data). They also must have attended an NC TraCS Introduction to Qualitative Data Analysis training (on September 30 or a previous session or recording).

This event is part of the NC TraCS Qualitative Research Training Series.

Please note: We will not be presenting information about qualitative analysis in this session; instead, we will ask participants to share where they are in their analysis process, ask questions about their analyses, and collectively discuss strategies for moving our analyses forward. This event will not be recorded.

Facilitators:
MaryBeth Grewe, MPH
Program Manager, Qualitative Research Service
Research Specialist, Patient and Community Engagement in Research (PaCER) Program

Simone Frank, MPH
Senior Project Manager, Patient and Community Engagement in Research (PaCER) Program
Research Specialist, Qualitative Research Service

Sharita Thomas, MPP
Research Specialist, Qualitative Research Service

For questions about this workshop, please contact MaryBeth Grewe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Eligibility Screener

Engagement in Research 101: Introduction to Engaging Patient & Community Partners in Research

Are you interested in learning about patient and community engagement and how it can benefit your research? Excited by the idea of engaging patient, community, or other partners in your research, but unsure about where to start? Want to know more about how to engage partners at different points throughout your study?

Engaging with patient and community partners who are impacted by your research can be instrumental to the success of your study. This online training will provide an overview of engagement in research, highlighting that engagement is not "all or nothing" or "one-size-fits-all", but instead encompasses a wide variety of low touch to high touch approaches that could be right for your study.

The session will cover common myths/misconceptions about engagement in research, benefits of and key considerations for engaging patient and community partners in research, and initial steps/existing resources you can leverage to begin engaging partners in your research.

Presenters:
Alicia Bilheimer, MPH - Director of Engaged Science, NC TraCS
Veronica Carlisle, MPH, CHES - Senior Community Health Educator, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC)
Nisha Datta, MS - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Simone Frank, MPH - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Jennifer Potter, MPH, CHES - Senior Program Coordinator for Clinical Outreach, LCCC

Register

Engaging Patient, Community, and Other Partners in Your Research is a multi-part online training series. You may register for the entire series OR any single training session. This training series was developed collaboratively with patient, community, and researcher partners and is co-sponsored by the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and NC TraCS Institute.

Engagement in Research Nuts & Bolts: Specific Approaches for Engaging Patient & Community Partners in Research

There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to engaging patient, community, or other partners in your research. Rather, there are a variety of engagement methods to suit your study's needs, your research team's capacity, and your partners' interests.

This online training will describe three common approaches for working with patient, community, and other partners in your research: 1) consultative community feedback sessions; 2) advisory boards; and 3) sustained collaboration with partners as members of the research team.

The session will cover considerations for choosing these specific engagement methods, as well as concrete processes and steps for implementing each approach. Participation in our Engagement in Research 101 training is not required to attend this session; however, some knowledge of engagement, whether from prior training(s) or personal experience, may foster deeper understanding of the material in this session.

Presenters:
Alicia Bilheimer, MPH - Director of Engaged Science, NC TraCS
Veronica Carlisle, MPH, CHES - Senior Community Health Educator, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC)
Nisha Datta, MS - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Simone Frank, MPH - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Jennifer Potter, MPH, CHES - Senior Program Coordinator for Clinical Outreach, LCCC

Register

Engaging Patient, Community, and Other Partners in Your Research is a multi-part online training series. You may register for the entire series OR any single training session. This training series was developed collaboratively with patient, community, and researcher partners and is co-sponsored by the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and NC TraCS Institute.

Strengthening Engagement in Research: Building and Maintaining Relationships with Patient & Community Partners

Meaningful partnerships with patients, community members, or other collaborators involved in your research are invaluable. Projects are set up for success when care is intentionally given to developing and strengthening partnerships over time.

This online training will describe best practices for building mutually beneficial partnerships. The session will also cover common challenges that researchers and patient, community, and other partners experience when working together, along with suggested solutions.

Participation in our Engagement in Research 101 or Engagement in Research Nuts and Bolts trainings are not required to attend this session; however, some knowledge of engagement, whether from prior training(s) or personal experience, may foster deeper understanding of the material in this session.

Presenters:
Alicia Bilheimer, MPH - Director of Engaged Science, NC TraCS
Veronica Carlisle, MPH, CHES - Senior Community Health Educator, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC)
Nisha Datta, MS - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Simone Frank, MPH - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Jennifer Potter, MPH, CHES - Senior Program Coordinator for Clinical Outreach, LCCC
Members of the NC TraCS Community and Patient Advisory Board and the UNC Lineberger Community Advisory Board

Register

Engaging Patient, Community, and Other Partners in Your Research is a multi-part online training series. You may register for the entire series OR any single training session. This training series was developed collaboratively with patient, community, and researcher partners and is co-sponsored by the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and NC TraCS Institute.