Posted October 30, 2026 by Ashley Washburn
University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty are encouraged to attend the Great Plains IDeA-CTR annual scientific meeting and 10th anniversary conference Nov. 9: “From Regional Strength to National Impact: Making Research Networks Work for Translational Science.”
The event is 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine St., in Omaha. A virtual option is also available. Registration is required. In-person attendees are encouraged to register by Nov. 2 to ensure they have access to included meals and materials.
Faculty will have opportunities to connect with leaders shaping the future of translational science, research infrastructure and regional research partnerships. Participants will gain insights from national experts, explore new approaches to collaborative research, and connect with colleagues whose expertise and institutional partnerships may complement their work. UNL faculty do not need to work in a clinical setting to benefit from the workshop, as many themes are relevant across a range of disciplines.
The event will feature prominent speakers from the National Institutes of Health, the University of Nebraska System and research institutions across the country. View the agenda for the full list of speakers and topics. Key guests include:
- Joni Rutter, director of the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, will share national perspectives on translational science. Her presentation will offer insight into the evolving national landscape and the role of translational science in moving research discoveries toward real-world applications.
- Mercedes Rubio, director of the Division for Research Capacity Building at the NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences, and Darren Sledjeski, acting deputy director for NIGMS. Their session will examine the Institutional Development Award Program and the future of regional research capacity, providing important context on how research infrastructure and institutional capacity can be strengthened.
- Susan K. Gregurick, NIH associate director for data science and director of the Office of Data Science Strategy, will discuss building data capacity for collaborative translational science. These discussions will be particularly relevant to faculty interested in interdisciplinary research, data-driven discovery, and the infrastructure needed to support research partnerships.
- Jiang Bian, chief data scientist at Regenstrief Institute and professor at Indiana University, will explore data, artificial intelligence and the infrastructure supporting learning research networks.
Additionally, research leaders from universities across the country will share strategies for building effective research networks and advancing collaboration across institutions, offering participants opportunities to learn from institutions that have developed research networks and collaborative models across various disciplines and communities. Faculty also may gain ideas for developing partnerships, identifying complementary expertise and strengthening future research proposals.
