Forum Introduces Bronx Community Research Review Board

On Friday June 22, Einstein’s Bronx CREED and Hispanic Center of Excellence teamed to present "A Case Study: Community-Academic Partnership in Research Review" at its monthly forum. The presentation featured members of the Bronx Community Research Review Board (BxCRRB), ShaKing Alston, Rosalyn McMullin, Karen Nation and Paco Martin Del Campo, who provided those in attendance with an overview of Bronx CRRB, describing the process behind their efforts and their readiness to work with Einstein and Montefiore researchers, to lend community voices and opinions on research design as well as community support.

BxCRRB was created to recruit and educate community residents and other local stakeholders about health research and to involve members of the community on a research review board. Its goal is to ensure that the community is engaged in research projects so that the projects are sensitive to the needs and culture of the community, and can provide a venue through which research results may be disseminated to the community for its possible use and benefit, when applicable.

More than 30 individuals representing Einstein and Montefiore, along with other Bronx community partners, attended the session. Dr. Hal Strelnick, assistant dean for community engagement, welcomed the guests and opened the session by explaining that BxCRRB is a research project of the Harold and Muriel Block Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at Einstein and Montefiore. Then, following the group presentation by BxCRRB members, Dr. Michael Reichgott, chair of the Einstein Institutional Review Board (IRB), described the Einstein Human Research Protection Program structure and functions, pointing out that its goal is to promote and protect the rights and welfare of all human research participants. The presentations ended with a question and answer period and set the stage for more dialogue and opportunities for collaboration.

For more information about BxCRRB, visit http://www.bronxhealthlink.org/bronxhealthlink/programs/BxCRRB/ or contact fmartindelcampo@bronxhealthlink.org.