Research Drives Real-World Questions for ChristianaCare and Collaborators

ChristianaCare hosts state and national leaders for Delaware INBRE spring 2026 external advisory committee meeting

July 10, 2026

The National Institutes of Health-funded Delaware INBRE program at ChristianaCare recently welcomed their national advisors and leaders from across Delaware for the Delaware INBRE External Advisory Committee meeting.

Delaware INBRE leaders and research colleagues are part of a National Institutes of Health-supported program that brings together academic and healthcare institutions from across the state.

The two-day event brought together Delaware INBRE partners from ChristianaCare, University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Delaware Technical Community College and Nemours Children’s Health, along with expert advisors from across the country. For ChristianaCare, the meeting was an opportunity to demonstrate the depth of its research enterprise and its role in shaping the future of biomedical research in a clinical setting across the state.

Claire Rudolph, MSM, CPHQ, research program manager, and Susan Smith, Ph.D., RN, the Delaware INBRE site principal investigator, lead research efforts driven by real-world questions.

Delaware INBRE, short for the IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, funds research projects, student programs and shared infrastructure. This statewide program helps strengthen Delaware’s ability to compete for federal research funding and improve health outcomes statewide.

At ChristianaCare, this innovative program is supported and sustained by a coordinated research and grants administration approach that includes the Research Institute (iREACH), the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Finance. Together, these teams manage National Institutes of Health regulatory compliance and operations for programs like DE-INBRE.

“At ChristianaCare, we strive to advance the DE-INBRE mission through what we do best — connecting research to patient care,” said Susan Smith, Ph.D., RN, the Delaware INBRE site principal investigator. “Our research efforts are driven by real-world questions, shaped by clinical experience and designed to translate quickly into better care for patients.”

Establishing a strong connection between research and patient care was a recurring theme throughout the meeting. Senior leaders including Chief Nursing Officer Danielle Weber, DNP, MSM, Chief Medical Officer Kert Anzilotti, M.D., MBA, and Chief Scientific Officer Omar Khan, M.D., emphasized the importance of research in advancing care and improving outcomes for the communities ChristianaCare serves.

During a guided tour of ChristianaCare’s clinical and research spaces, visitors saw firsthand how research and care intersect. Stops included Women’s and Children’s services, the Emergency Department, the Center for Heart and Vascular Health and the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, where clinical and research teams shared how studies are embedded into everyday care.

Presentations and discussions highlighted how research is built into the fabric of the health system. Smith and Claire Rudolph, MSM, CPHQ, research program manager, shared how Delaware INBRE at ChristianaCare is expanding access to research opportunities, supporting early-stage investigators, and creating clearer pathways for students and clinicians to get involved.

Additional presentations from across ChristianaCare highlighted the breadth of this work, including from the Research Institute, the Nursing Research Fellowship in Robotics and Innovation, student workforce development initiatives and advances from the Gene Editing Institute, reflecting a wide range of clinical, educational, and scientific expertise.

“We were excited to host this meeting and showcase the strength of collaboration across the state,” Smith said. “It reinforced a shared goal among partners and advisors: to expand opportunity, strengthen the research workforce and improve health for communities across Delaware.”