The Child Health Research Unit (CHRU) is a partnership between Children’s of Alabama, the UAB Department of Pediatrics and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science. Its mission is to provide an outpatient research unit to pediatric investigators that reduce barriers to the conduct of scientifically rigorous clinical and translational research. The CHRU facilitates the execution of safe and age-appropriate clinical research protocols in a flexible fashion to accelerate our understanding and treatment of childhood diseases.
Services are tiered to meet the needs of study protocols and a wide range of pediatric participants. Available facilities and services include space and equipment, subcontracted services, UAB outreach laboratory services, and storage of biologic specimens. We also offer support for study initiation, including study design, regulatory support, and budget preparation.
To meet the growing needs of our pediatric researchers, as of May 2017, we opened and expanded 2,547 square-feet CHRU facility on the 3rd floor of Dearth Tower. The CHRU space on the 7th floor of Dearth Tower is now known as the “CHRU Satellite.”
The new 3rd floor CHRU facility offers:
- Reception/registration area
- Triage room with scales and stadiometer
- 6 well-equipped exam rooms
- Office and conference space
- Workspace with monitors & locked storage
- A lab with centrifuge and freezer for short-term storage
- An equipment storage room
The Satellite Facility continues to provide:
- Three equipped exam rooms
- Work areas for study teams
- Scales (standing and infant)
- Stadiometer and thermometer
- Blood pressure monitor
- ECG equipment
- Oximeter
- Oto/opthalmoscopes
- Spirometry equipment
- Nebulizer equipment
- Refrigerated centrifuges
- Cytospin and hematocrit
- Glucometer
- Specimen storage (limited -80C, -20C, and 0-4C)
- Two sterile hoods
- Digital laboratory scales
- 40X - 100X microscope
- Hemocytometer
- Autoclave
- pH meter
Investigators and research coordinators have access to CHRU research space and equipment. All protocols that utilize the Unit must have a designated, protocol-specific physician with primary responsibility for the safe conduct of the study and must have IRB or WIRB approval.
To restock disposable items, maintain equipment, and cover general upkeep of the Unit, we must assess charges to use the Unit. These charges are commensurate with those of other academic institutions. Budgets with sponsors should include unit utilization fees ($1500 start-up and $75/hour for exam rooms) during the negotiation process. Pediatric Research Office (PRO) staff are available to assist with these negotiations to ensure that all costs are covered.
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