The Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) is pleased to announce that Matthew DeCamp, MD, PhD, has been chosen to serve as the Associate Director for the CCTSI Community Engagement program, which is led by Donald Nease, Jr., MD. DeCamp is Associate Professor, Internal Medicine and Director of Research Ethics for the CCTSI.
“Matt brings a strong track record of leadership in bioethics, health policy and translational research, along with a deep commitment to community-engaged scholarship,” said Nease. “He has consistently demonstrated the ability to bridge academic and community perspectives in thoughtful, practical ways.”
Community Engagement (CE) is a keystone program of the CCTSI. The program works with more than 20 Colorado communities, giving them a voice in the research that is important to them. Through its Partnership of Academicians and Communities for Translation (PACT) Council, CE aims to:
- Educate and connect investigators and communities
- Develop programs to improve relationships and build trust between academics and communities
- Build capacity in community-academic partnerships
- Provide pilot grants for community engagement and research
- Facilitate community-based participatory research (CBPR)
Throughout the interview process DeCamp articulated a compelling vision to strengthen bidirectional engagement, advance health for all people, and position CE to have even greater impact on the full spectrum of clinical translational researchers.
“This new role is exciting for many reasons. For one, I will get to learn from–and hopefully contribute to–one of the nation's leading, most innovative community engagement programs,” said DeCamp.
As Director of Research Ethics for the CCTSI, DeCamp believes that research ethics and engagement work complement and strengthen one another. “Engagement is now regarded as an ethical imperative for much of research. Ethical principles, such as respect, humility, and trust, can inform how we do engagement. Sometimes, it's only through community engagement that we can learn how to best navigate ethical issues in research.”
Nease noted that DeCamp’s participation in CE activities, service on the PACT Council, and his role on the CCTSI Executive Committee have given him a clear understanding of the program’s mission, partnerships, and strategic priorities.
“I've come to care deeply about Colorado communities. I love building relationships, and doing so through authentic engagement is essential to ensuring everyone can benefit from translational science,” DeCamp said.
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