As part of the CCTST’s Research Participant Advisory Group (RPAG), the University of Cincinnati Research Participant Advisory Council (UC RPAC) is the third and newest advisory council available to researchers across the Academic Health Center, along with the West End Community Research Advisory Board (WE C-RAB) and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Research Participant Advisory Council (CCHMC RPAC). The goal of these advisory groups is to provide a structured forum for researchers to connect with research participants, families and community to improve research – from design to dissemination.
The inaugural UC RPAC meeting was this past August 2024 conducting 4 additional successful meetings since then. Consisting of 17 members, along with two CCTST staff members, the UC RPAC meets the first Wednesday of each month in Vernon Manor. The members represent diverse perspectives in terms of race, gender, age, occupation, and medical and research experience.
Here is an overview of the UC RPAC meetings to date:
August 7, 2024: First meeting; getting to know each other; created by-laws
September 4, 2024: Research Ethics Training, part 1; facilitated by Julie Wijesooriya and Terresa Adams
October 2, 2024: Research Ethics Training, part 2; facilitated by Julie Wijesooriya and Terresa Adams
November 6, 2024: Overview of the flow of research at UC; facilitated by Nate Harris; UC Radiation Experiments history and current efforts; facilitated by Mo Kelly
December 4, 2024: NeuroNext Informed Consent Form template feedback, facilitated by Angie Molloy; TAP Program annual survey focus groups; facilitated by Lori Vincent and Valerie Miller
As we approach 2025, the UC RPAC is excited to continue to welcome UC and UCH researchers who wish to include the community voice in their research process. The UC RPAC can provide feedback on study design, recruitment strategies, marketing materials, informed consent forms, and more.
If you are interested in utilizing the UC RPAC for your study in 2025, please email Mo Kelly: kelly3mu@ucmail.uc.edu.
About the Research Participant Advisory Group: The CCHMC RPAC, UC RPAC and WE C-RAB are resources available to anyone at the Academic Health Center (CCHMC/UC) and across the UC campus who is interested in connecting with the research participant or community perspective and improving how research is conducted at our institutions or out in the community. If you are interested in seeking feedback from one of these groups at one of our meetings, or through electronic survey, contact Julie Wijesooriya, Julie.Wijesooriya@cchmc.org for the CCHMC RPAC/WE C-RAB or Mo Kelly, kelly3mu@ucmail.uc.edu for the UC RPAC.