Overview
CHORD provides the infrastructure for patient-centered research, generation of new evidence, and evidence translation back into clinical practice. CHORD hosts several projects that translate patient priorities for research into patient-centered solutions that may improve quality of care and the health outcomes of patients. To date, CHORD has received over $11 million in support, including from PCORI, NIH, DOD, and the American Cancer Society. CHORD research scientists and staff have experience and expertise in patient and stakeholder engagement, research topic prioritization methodologies, qualitative and quantitative analyses, systematic reviews, comparative effectiveness research, translational research, implementation science, and dissemination. CHORD’s dedicated team of research coordinators have experience conducting large-scale multi-site randomized and observational cohort studies.
Active Research Initiatives
CISTO (The Comparison of Intravesical Therapy and Surgery as Treatment Options)
The nationwide study conducted by Dr. John L. Gore and Dr. Angela B. Smith, funded by PCORI, has the potential to fill critical evidence gaps, change care pathways for the management of NMIBC (non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer), and provide for personalized, patient-centered care. The CISTO Study is a large prospective observational cohort study that compares the impact of bladder-sparing therapy versus bladder removal with radical cystectomy in recurrent high-grade NMIBC on clinical outcomes and patient and caregiver experience using standardized patient-reported outcomes (PROs). The main outcome of the CISTO Study is physical functioning 12 months after enrollment. Longer term outcomes will be assessed through the NCI-funded BEST CARE (BladdEr-Sparing Therapy and Cystectomy As TREatments for Recurrent Bladder Cancer; NCI R01CA289268), which also supports the collection of a new cohort of patients with recurrent high-grade NMIBC to assess financial well-being outcomes.
BACPAC (Black and African-Descent Collaborative for Prostate Cancer Action)
In the United States, Black and African-descent men are up to 80% more likely to develop prostate cancer and 120% more likely to die from prostate cancer. Led by Dr. Yaw Nyame, BACPAC is a community of patients, advocates, physicians, and researchers brought together with the mission of improving prostate cancer care for Black and African-descent men through community-based translational research. BACPAC is part of an overarching effort to perform translational research to address inequities in prostate cancer care and outcomes, with the goal of finding durable solutions that are also transferrable to other cancers at both the local and national levels.
The GetMoving Trial
The GetMoving Trial: A Phase I/II RCT of Home-Based (P)Rehabilitation with ExerciseRx in Bladder Cancer and Upper Tract Urotheilial Cancer, led by Dr. Sarah Psutka and Dr. Cindy Lin, is a research study testing whether a personalized, home-based physical activity program delivered through the ExerciseRxTM platform can help improve strength, recovery, and overall outcomes for people with bladder cancer or urothelial cancer of the ureter/kidney who are preparing for a major surgical procedure. The study focuses on patients undergoing major surgery for bladder or urinary tract cancer, such as radical cystectomy, nephroureterectomy, or ureterectomy, with or without chemotherapy or other systemic treatment beforehand. This study will evaluate whether personalized home-based exercise before and after surgery can accelerate recovery, reduce complications, and enhance quality of life.
PATROL (Prostate Cancer Screening for People AT Genetic Risk For Aggressive Disease
The PATROL study is a multi-site prospective early detection study for people at risk for prostate cancer due to known or suspected cancer risk genes. This study also offers opportunities for engaging those at risk who are wishing to be proactive about their care and as a framework to investigate novel biomarkers of early detection. This study is led by Dr. Daniel W. Lin, a Urologist at the University of Washington and Dr. Heather H. Cheng, a medical oncologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.
STRIVE (Support for Transgender and Nonbinary Individuals Seeking Vaginoplasty)
The STRIVE study, funded by PCORI and led by Dr. Geolani Dy out of Oregon Health & Science University, asks the research question: how does access to peer-delivered education and support, or access to a peer who has experienced and learned from the journey the patient is embarking on, impact the patient’s experience and surgical outcomes? The value of being able to connect with someone who can speak to these questions from experience is evident. The STRIVE study aims to prove this with data. We hope to set precedent for the funding and development of peer delivered support and education programs for trans people across the world.
The EMPOWER Trial
The EMPOWER Trial: Evaluating a Home-based Physical Activity Program (PAP) With the Exerciserxtm Digital Platform vs. Health Education Group (HEG) in People With Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer, is a research study, led by Dr. Sarah Psutka and Dr. Cindy Lin, exploring whether a personalized, home-based physical activity program delivered through the ExerciseRxTM digital platform can improve health and quality of life for people with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) receiving maintenance intravesical therapy or on surveillance. Using the ExerciseRxTM provider dashboard and patient app, participants in the physical activity program will receive a personalized, supportive exercise plan at home, while others will receive standard health education recommendations. The study will compare changes in physical function, cancer-related and general quality of life between the groups, with the goal of developing a scalable, practical exercise program that can reduce treatment side effects, improve physical function and enhance quality of life to ultimately support better long-term outcomes for individuals with NMIBC.
ASTRAL (A Superiority Trial of Radiofrequency Ablation for Low Back Pain)
ASTRAL, a collaboration between CHORD and UW Rehabilitation Medicine, is a large-scale, multi-center trial that will evaluate the effectiveness of lumbar radiofrequency ablation (LRFA) in treating chronic low back pain (CLBP). Spinal pain has been shown to have the highest annual health care spending ($134 billion) of any condition. LRFA is a minimally invasive procedure that targets nerves in the lumbar spine to reduce pain. Previous research on LRFA has produced mixed results, with some studies finding little benefit. The ASTRAL trial aims to provide valuable insights into the role of LRFA in managing low back pain. ASTRAL will enroll 300 participants who have experienced significant pain relief from diagnostic nerve blocks. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: a conventional LRFA technique, an alternative LRFA method, or a simulated procedure that mimics LRFA but does not burn the nerve.
Center Leadership
Faculty Members
Working at CHORD
Our open staff positions can be found on the UW jobs page by searching for the keyword “CHORD”.
How we do our work is as important as the work itself. As a member of the CHORD team, we expect that you will participate in and support the following agreements based on the principles that guide our interactions with each other:
- We create a culture of appreciation. We take time to appreciate people’s work and efforts. We trust each other to do a good job and to ask each other for what we need to do so. We also set realistic work plans and timelines, incorporating adequate time for collaboration. We focus on responsiveness with empathy ― getting others what they need without creating an atmosphere of urgency.
- Improving the work is the work. We will identify opportunities for process improvement and put in place changes. This includes making time to ask for and provide suggestions. We recognize that mistakes are an opportunity to improve processes, tools, and knowledge. Feedback focuses on process, not personal behaviors or characteristics.
- This is a flat team made up of individuals with different but equally important roles. We respect and value each member’s experience and expertise. We collaborate to achieve our goals. We focus on transparency and inclusion in decision-making. We are all leaders in various capacities. We define good leadership as developing the power and skills of others.
- Avoiding conflict is not cooperation. When someone is expressing themselves, we try to understand their point. We sit with our own discomfort and do not take it personally. We understand that discomfort is the root of growth and learning.
- We work to combat our biases by being mindful in how we act, interpret the actions of others, form conclusions, and make decisions. Bias is prejudice or unsupported judgments in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another in a way that’s usually considered unfair. To reduce the impact of our biases, we focus on listening to each other, observing our own behaviors as well as those of others, and asking questions of ourselves and others to make considered and deliberate decisions.
Contact
chord-admin@uw.edu
CHORD
1959 NE Pacific Street
Box 356510
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98915