About the Institute
Our purpose
The purpose of the A. T. Still Research Institute is to assist, mentor, and nurture local faculty, students, and particularly clinicians in applying for and conducting sponsored research projects, both intramurally and extramurally, thus facilitating a stronger research environment throughout A. T. Still University.
Our history
Associated with the first college of osteopathic medicine with an unparalleled history of research, the Institute is named after A.T. Still, M.D., D.O., the founder of osteopathic medicine. The A.T. Still Research Institute embodies the same veracity as set forth by Dr. Still and the osteopathic profession's leading research pioneers such as Drs. J.S. Denslow, I.M. Korr, and M.O. Gutensohn; all of whom performed their studies based at ATSU's Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine.
In 1998, the development of an internationally respected research institute emerged as a top institutional goal within ATSU- KCOM's long-range plan for 2000-2005. To this end, the college has already made great strides by heavily investing its resources to become such a leading research institute.
Emerging need for clinical researchers
A general consensus has developed that currently, and for the near future, there will be a shortage of clinical researchers. More than20 years ago, Wyngaarden [1, 2] sounded the alarm about the impending decrease in clinical scientists. Reasons for this decrease were multiple: dramatic changes in societal goals, increased emphasis on primary care and family medicine, instability of federal research support, changes in the medical school curriculum, increasing sophistication of modern biomedical research technologies, economic factors related to the debt-load of graduates, a perceived lack of commitment by academic health center administrators for research, and the relinquishment of clinical research time.
Moskowitz and Thompson [3, 4] have expressed concerns that student numbers currently within the clinical-investigator pipeline will be insufficient to continue the rate of current progress in biomedical research. They have reinforced the profound need to develop new methods for the training of physicians entering clinical research careers so that future physicians will have a "basic minimum proficiency and skill" in conducting clinical research.
Evolving research infrastructures within the osteopathic profession mirror closely that which is found within more developed academic research centers. Members of the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO) cited the lack of Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment (OMT) research as a primary reason for denial of reimbursement by third party payers. Recently, the executive director of the AAO expressed frustration with the profession's inability to muster sufficient resources to complete necessary clinical osteopathic research to document the benefits of OMT in the care of patients. [5]
History of research at ATSU-KCOM
The history of research at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine truly begins with the initial studies of Dr. A. T. Still, the founder of osteopathic medicine. The work he accomplished set the stage for the introduction of the first truly American system of healthcare. Still’s unique system of medicine, officially introduced in the state of Missouri in 1892, has expanded access to high quality healthcare to millions of citizens in this country and throughout the world. It has also presented medical researchers with unique opportunities to study the intricate interactions of the body, mind, and spirit.
Following Dr. Still’s initial studies,
the works of Drs.
J. S. Denslow, I. Korr, and M. O. Gutensohn 
laid
the foundation for what has today become the scientific study of osteopathic
medicine. Their pioneering investigations served as the inspiration
for those physicians who are following in their footsteps.
The vision of an institute
The vision for the A. T. Still Research Institute
began only a few short years ago with the arrival of James
J. McGovern, Ph.D., as
president of KCOM. Dr. McGovern came with a vision of transforming
KCOM into a world-class, clinical research mecca. At the KCOM Convocation
for the Second Century meeting, two specific research focal areas
of exceptional strength emerged -- osteopathic manipulative medicine
and family/senior healthcare.
The Institute serves as the overarching structure under which clinical and interdisciplinary research is being organized. The Institute provides comprehensive services and support for both the novice and experienced researcher.
Organization of the A.T. Still Research
Institute (see organizational
chart)
Because of the various special requirements
of different research endeavors, the Institute will focus
and organize its priority areas by establishing centers
of excellence. Currently, two centers of excellence are
under the umbrella of the Institute. These are the Still
Osteopathic Research Center (SORC)
and the Healthy
Aging Research Center (HARC).
As research interests and resources grow, additional
centers will be added.
In the formation of the Institute, it was decided that
an External
Board of Scientific Counselors (EBSC) was necessary to provide
objective and scientific input into the critical decisions the Institute
would make. KCOM sought high-caliber and nationally respected experts
to guide this developmental process.
KCOM's research infrastructure
The A. T. Still Research Institute is being built on a pre-existing administrative/research infrastructure at KCOM that has a successful track record unprecedented in the osteopathic profession.
ATSU-KCOM ...
- is on the threshold of a new era of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) efficacy research. More than 20 pilot studies in OMM have been recently conducted at KCOM via intramural funds ($250,000 per year since 1998 earmarked for OMM research) or by extramural funding from the AOA
- is the first osteopathic medical school to secure two NIH research grant awards (an R01 and an R21) for clinical methodology/efficacy research in OMM
- has accumulated more than $11 million in endowments and deferred gifts to supports OMM research/development
- was awarded more than $400,000 in federal funding to develop a research enrichment program to prepare the next generation of promising osteopathic researchers
- consistently ranks No. 1 among all private osteopathic medical schools in terms of NIH awards/funding
- possesses one of the most progressive research reinvestment policies in that it both inspires and rewards faculty who undertake the challenge of research
A.T. Still Research Institute Administrative Team
Features of the Institute
The A. T. Still Research Institute features ...
- the world's premier team of osteopathic specialists/researchers
- an
experienced scientific steering committee (named the Interdisciplinary
Research Committee at
KCOM) consisting of both clinical and basic science faculty,
as well as research/grants support personnel, who have been
meeting since 1998 to promote and advance interdisciplinary
research, particularly in OMM, by reviewing and discussing
research ideas, grants, and study outcomes
- a grants team with a phenomenal 15-year funding record consisting of nearly 300 grant awards (the vast majority of which are federal) totaling more than $30 million
- outstanding college-based cores in biostatistics, data management, and information technology
Strategic plan
The Institute has these primary goals and responsibilities:
- to serve as a think tank and prioritize research areas, critically evaluate and facilitate the best means of conducting research and devise strategies/recommendations to conduct rigorous research. More about the think tank...
- to provide research mentors and technical assistance, by evaluating pilot studies proposed by local investigators (using the NIH peer review process as its model), and by funding/supporting those judged to be of excellent scientific merit
- to provide training in research methods for osteopathic physicians, students, and others. More on the training mission of the Institute...
- to develop a researcher base consisting of at least 10 active and productive osteopathic clinical researchers and five basic science researchers investigating mechanisms of osteopathic clinical research findings
- to construct state-of-the-art facilities dedicated to research and research training
- to establish a research network consisting of a main research campus for education and pilot activities and satellite campuses to facilitate definitive research activities
- to produce monographs documenting manual medicine research methodology
- to evaluate the Institute from a quantitative and qualitative aspect using internal and external mechanisms
Overview
of Research Activities for 2003
Research
Institute Focus for 2004
ATSU-KCOM is committed to establishing a professional "culture of research" by instituting a master's degree and certificate program in clinical research, funding predoctoral research fellowships, and conducting continuing medical education programs on evidence-based medicine.