Open Research Office Zoom session to examine plain language

*The CTSI Open Research Office session on plain language scheduled for November 16, 2022, has been postponed. Information on a rescheduled date will be shared on the CTSI website as available.

In 2019, prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), in partnership with the UB Clinical Research Office, presented a series of in-person sessions called Open Research Office. The instructional, expert-led presentations focused on topics relevant to biomedical scientists and research coordinators.

In June 2022, CTSI Open Research Office sessions returned with a new format — online via Zoom — and a new energy and enthusiasm.

“Sharing expert guidance with investigators and research teams is one of the goals for both the CTSI and Clinical Research Office,” says CTSI Associate Director and UB Clinical Research Office Director Sanjay Sethi, MD, Professor and Chief, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, and Assistant Vice President for Health Sciences, Department of Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “Our Open Research Office Zoom sessions are a convenient way to do just that. Audiences have found the experience to be informative and engaging, and the presenters have been impressed with the level of discussion.”

The next Open Research Office session, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 16, will focus on an increasingly important topic: plain language. (*The session originally scheduled for November 16 has been postponed until a date TBD.) Organizers see this topic, which involves communication an audience can understand the first time they read or hear it, as significant for researchers and research staff.

As CTSI Director Timothy F. Murphy, MD, put it in a recent Translational Spotlight “Director’s Message,” “Using plain language when communicating with patients and research participants is our responsibility. To this end, the CTSI is developing a toolkit to assist research teams in creating materials for their research studies. We will also be offering education and training opportunities, the first being the Open Research Office.”

Building on the focus of past sessions

The Zoom sessions are organized and hosted by CTSI Clinical Research Facilitators Marchelle Brooks, MPH, and Alexis O’Brien. “Our Open Research Office sessions address subjects that researchers can utilize in their everyday work,” Brooks says. “Whether the presentations serve as a refresher or an introduction, they provide an opportunity to ask questions and participate in an insightful dialogue.”

In-person CTSI Open Research Office sessions began in January 2018. Over the next two years, researchers explored topics like clinical trial agreements and research budgets.

Sessions paused once the COVID-19 pandemic began. When it came time to resume in 2022, organizers decided on a virtual format. In addition to allowing more flexibility for participants across UB and beyond, the benefit of Zoom sessions is that they can be recorded and made available for later viewing.

On June 15, Clinical Research Office Associate Operational Director Kimberly Brunton, RN, MSN, discussed Central Study Registration, while CTSI Clinical Recruitment Coordinator Ashley Regling, MA, provided an overview of clinical recruitment on August 31. (Watch the CSR session here and the clinical recruitment session here.)

“Both previous Open Research Office presenters encouraged attendees to ask questions and engage throughout the sessions,” says O'Brien. “This allowed the experts to teach the fundamentals of their topics and it provided the opportunity for additional focus on the learners’ specific issues of concern. The information shared through these questions and answers benefited the entire group.”

Next up: plain language

During the plain language session scheduled for November 16, CTSI Integrating Special Populations Coordinator Andy Strohmeier, MEd, will explain how the use of plain language fosters trust with the community and presents research in a non-threatening way. In addition, the session will cover a usable definition of plain language for researchers, offer an exploration of various readability indexes, and highlight writing tips for recruitment and presentation materials.

“Research is most meaningful if it is ultimately improving health for all, especially for those who have been affected by socioeconomic disparities and health inequities,” explains Strohmeier. “The individuals our researchers serve are eager to learn about the discoveries that we make. By improving the delivery of our research in plain, easy-to-consume language, we can become better partners to our community members and improve health and health literacy for all.”

The CTSI sees plain language as a key tool for scientists to better connect with the communities they serve. Various resources for investigators are currently in development, with the Open Research Office session serving as a kick-off for an enhanced study of the topic.

Organizers say upcoming topics may include using REDCap; contracts and agreements; budgets; accounts receivable; IRB submissions and regulatory compliance; protocol development and regulatory guidance; and support for users of Central Study Registration, OnCore and Click.

For more information on the CTSI Open Research Office series or to propose topics for upcoming sessions, email CTSI Clinical Research Facilitators Marchelle Brooks, MPH, at mbrooks9@buffalo.edu and Alexis O'Brien at ahazard@buffalo.edu.