CTSI Directors. Steven M. Dubinett, MD, is the director of the CTSI and has served as director since the CTSI’s inception in 2011. A translational scientist and academic leader, he is the UCLA Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and the Senior Associate Dean for Translational Research for the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He is jointly appointed as distinguished professor in three departments: medicine; pathology & laboratory medicine; and molecular & medical pharmacology. Building on original discoveries relevant to inflammation and immunity in the pathogenesis of lung cancer, he has developed a translational research program, which now utilizes these laboratory-based discoveries in the translational research and clinical environments. He has received uninterrupted peer-reviewed federal funding for translational lung cancer research for more than 25 years. A member of the TIN External CTSA Consultative Work Group and the CD2H PI Focus Group, he serves on the External Advisory Committees (EACs) for three CTSA hubs.

Arleen Brown, MD, PhD, is the director of the CTSI and has led the Community Engagement and Research Program since its inception. A leader in T3/T4 research, Dr. Brown is a general internist and health services investigator whose research has focused on the contribution of the individual, health care system and community characteristics to racial/ethnic and socioeconomic health disparities for adults with chronic conditions. She serves on the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) Partners for the Advancement of Community-Engaged Research (PACER) and the national Community Engagement Disparities Workgroup. She serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science.

Role of the CTSI Directors. The CTSI Directors report to UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. The CTSI Directors chair the Leadership Group and are responsible for CTSI operations, budgets, planning and policy. In concert with the Leadership Group, the Directors prioritize activities, allocate resources, set decision-making policies and procedures and assist in conflict resolution. Additional responsibilities include the integration of our biomedical research infrastructure with other UC medical campuses through UC Biomedical Research Acceleration, Innovation and Development. Dr. Dubinett was one of the founding members of UC BRAID in 2010 and continues to serve on the BRAID Executive Committee. The Directors serve as the central liaison between the CTSI and its advisory boards as well as NCATS and the national CTSA network. 

The CTSI has 12 programs and two training programs, the KL2 and the TL1. Each program has one or more leaders selected by the CTSI Directors in consultation with the Leadership Group as well as institutional leaders. Program Leaders are operational leaders with direct oversight of their programs. They coordinate program activities across our partner institutions to achieve program goals. Program leaders report to the Directors. Faculty from all four CTSI partner institutions participate in program leadership. Program Leaders meet weekly with the CTSI Directors, Site Leadership and training program Directors at the Program Area Leadership Meeting (PALM). The purpose of the PALM is to exchange information on program activities, identify opportunities for collaboration and integration, and report progress on program metrics and performance goals.