News Center for Dissemination & Implementation

Third annual Dissemination and Implementation Proposal Development Bootcamp


On April 52017 the Center for Dissemination and Implementation held its third annual Dissemination and Implementation Proposal Development Bootcamp.

The bootcamp is designed to stimulate the development of innovative grant proposals in dissemination and implementation (D&I) science and to prepare researchers to compete successfully for grant funding.  Dr. Mark McGovern of Stanford University kicked off the event with a talk on the scientific frontiers of D&I research and the main hallmarks of high quality research.

“Bootcamp is a highlight of our year at the Center for Dissemination and Implementation. Our support from the Chancellor’s office enables us to bring national leaders in D&I science together with local Washington University research experts to help advance investigators’ research proposals. I am always inspired by the day’s energy and collaboration, and we manage to have a good time while working very hard to advance our science,” said CDI Director and Shanti K. Khindka Distinguished Professor at the Brown School, Dr. Enola Proctor.

This year, 12 investigator teams brought 15 grant proposals for review. The investigator teams received up to eight consultations each with any of 20 different experts on over 50 different topics related to D&I grant writing.

Jessica Hudson, Department of Surgery, lauded both the enthusiasm of and detailed constructive criticisms from experts. Another participant described the bootcamp as “a unique and excellent opportunity to participate in some brilliant consultations about grant submissions and projects.”

Jennifer Gallagher and Allie Phad of the Center for Diabetes Translation Research (CDTR) provided a resource room to provide investigators on-the-spot research resources such as measures and key articles from the day’s consultation.

The first two years of bootcamp contributed to:

  • grant proposals – multiple grants under development, 14 submitted, five funded by the Center for Dissemination and Implementation post-bootcamp, five externally funded
  • papers – seven papers submitted, four published, and five draft manuscripts
  • seven invitations to speak
  • two departmental initiatives
  • a presentation and a poster presentation
  • research team building and health department advisory roles

Specific post bootcamp accomplishments include:

  • Denise Wilfley, Scott Rudolph University Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine, Pediatrics, and Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, is a co-PI on an $8.9 million NHLBI grant that runs from 2016-2021, “The Effectiveness of Family-based Weight Loss Treatment Implemented in Primary Care.” This project was brought to the 2015 Bootcamp.
  • Allison King, assistant professor of Occupational Therapy and Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, Program in Occupational Therapy Department of Pediatrics, was just awarded a six-year, $4.5 million U grant from the Division of Blood Diseases and Resources (DBDR), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) as part of its Sickle Cell Disease Implementation Program (SCDIC). Her proposal for this project, “Using Implementation Science to Optimize Care of Adolescents and Adults with Sickle Cell Disease (U01),” received reviews and consultation during the 2016 bootcamp.

2017 Investigator Team Leaders
Aimee James, Ana Baumann, Andrea Hagemann, Carrie Pettus-David, David Patterson, Doug Luke, Fahd Ahmad, Ginger McKay, Dehra Harris & Heather Hagemann, Susan Stark, Tessa Madden, and Trish Kohl.

2017 Expert Consultants & Bootcamp Partners
Alex Ramsey, Ana Baumann, Betsy Keath, Charlene Cabernay, Donna Jeffe, Doug Luke, Enola Proctor, Greg Aarons, Jane Garbutt, JoAnn Kirchner, John Landsverk, Ken Sheckman (Research Design and Biostatistics Group (RDBG)), Margie Olsen (Center for Administrative Data Research (CADR), Mark McGovern, Rachel Tabak, Timothy McBride and the Dissemination and Implementation Research Core (DIRC) team which includes: Alex Morshed, Beth Prusaczyk Cole Hooley, Erika Lewis, and Sara Small.

This DIRC team’s consultation was boosted by their newly developed D&I Science toolkits, developed over the past year with support from the Washington University ICTS

Click here to view Dr. McGovern’s talk.