New Community and Patient Advisory Board will guide equitable approaches to clinical and translational science at NC TraCS

In October 2021, the North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences (NC TraCS) Institute launched a new Community and Patient Advisory Board (CPAB) focused on promoting and supporting equity in research. The 11-member CPAB consists of community members, patients, and advocates from across North Carolina with varied perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences.

Through ongoing engagement with NC TraCS, the CPAB will guide efforts to better understand and address the structural, historical, and practical obstacles that prevent underrepresented communities from fully participating in health-related research. By informing NC TraCS' approaches to community engagement, inclusive science, and diverse recruitment, the CPAB will contribute to the enhancement of clinical and translational research approaches at UNC-Chapel Hill, as well as to the creation and strengthening of bidirectional, trustworthy connections between our researchers and diverse North Carolina communities, networks, and organizations.

"We are very excited to launch this CPAB focused on inclusivity and equity in research at NC TraCS," said Michael Kappelman, MD, MPH, co-director of the Community and Stakeholder Engagement Program at NC TraCS. "This initiative will provide a valuable lens to further understand diverse perspectives towards research from people and patients across our state and health system. We intend to incorporate these insights to improve the design and conduct of research at NC TraCS and across campus."

To learn more and to read about each of our CPAB members, visit: tracs.unc.edu/engagement/cpab-member.