Tools & Technology

  • Enterprise Data Warehouse (eDW)
    Scholars may access the Enterprise Data Warehouse (eDW) maintained by the Center for Biomedical Informatics at UTHSC, with daily feeds of inpatient, outpatient and emergency department data on diagnoses, procedure, demographics, laboratory, pharmacy, vital sign, microbiology, and pathology EMR data from Methodist Le Bonheur Heathcare Systems (Cerner; AllScripts; eClinical). Research specific data sets are linked to patient identifiers via a master patient index.

    To learn more about the Enterprise Data Warehouse, please visit the CBMI website.

  • Biorepository
    The Biorepository for Integrative Genomics (BIG) Initiative facilitates highly effective genomics based research at UTHSC and supports future personalized healthcare delivery platforms.

    Genomic research has played a crucial role in understanding cancer related genomic biology and predicting health outcomes based on genetic interactions. We are establishing a pediatrics-based genomic biorepository to provide genetic material that will be linked to the Pediatric Research Database (PRD) allowing both genome and phenome based research.

    The BIG initiative is a major investment at UTHSC to complement the goals of TN-CTSI to reduce health disparities by promoting clinical and translational research. It will set the stage for UTHSC and our partner clinical organizations to establish a personalized healthcare delivery platform. This platform will be informed by extensive genomic-based research that would help provide targeted, personalized treatment to each patient in an effective, efficient and patient-centered manner.

    To learn more about the BIG Inititative, please visit the Le Bonheur BIG website.

  • Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap)
    The Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) system is a mature, secure web application for building and managing online surveys and databases. Using REDCap’s stream-lined process for rapidly developing projects, you may create and design projects using 1) the online method from your web browser using the Online Designer; and/or 2) the offline method by constructing a ‘data dictionary’ template file in Microsoft Excel, which can be later uploaded into REDCap. Both surveys and databases (or a mixture of the two) can be built using these methods.

    REDCap provides automated export procedures for seamless data downloads to Excel and common statistical packages (SPSS, SAS, Stata, R), as well as a built-in project calendar, a scheduling module, ad hoc reporting tools, and advanced features, such as branching logic, file uploading, and calculated fields. The system is flexible, easy to use and our instance is hosted here at UTHSC.

    To learn more about REDcap, please visit the REDcap website.

  • ResearchMatch
    ResearchMatch.org (RM) is an free, online recruitment and education platform that securely matches people interested in participating in research with researchers throughout the United States. ResearchMatch has a network of 219 institutions for researchers and volunteers to connect to take part in their health research studies. Researchers have access to thousands of volunteers who may match with your studies. Volunteers join every day, so your chances of finding matches increase and the timeline to discovery gets shorter.

    Researchers are able to message a de-identified cohort of potential participants based on their study’s criteria (i.e., women between the ages of 45 and 80 with heart disease). Investigators must have IRB approval of the study and permission to use ResearchMatch as a recruitment tool before contacting potential volunteers.

    Visit ResearchMatch- For Researchers to register as a UTHSC researcher, to register a study, or to add yourself to an existing study. To register as a volunteer study participant, visit Participate in a Study.

    For a list of the most common questions researchers ask, visit the ResearchMatch FAQs webpage.

    If you need further assistance, please contact the TN-CTSI staff at tnctsi@uthsc.edu or 901.448.2874.

    Register on ResearchMatch Now