Health Sciences

We offer a full range of outsourcing solutions for managing biomedical and scientific research programs. Our document review process and ability to manage grant distributions helps government and non-profit clients select the best health research to fund. Our staff are able to quickly identify and recruit expert scientific reviewers for peer review projects which enables us to smoothly convene and facilitate panels to review proposals. With our in-house information technology staff, we have the ability to build and support IT systems that can receive and process research proposals specific to your needs.

Specific offerings that Constella provides include:

• Summary Statement Development
• Peer Review Administrative Support
• Peer Review Grant Management and Administration
• Peer Review Professional Services
• Scientific Conference Management
• Program and Peer Review Management Information System (P2RMIS)

Selected Projects

• Biomedical Research Support Center and the Scientific Peer Review of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)
• PTSD Peer Review
• The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Peer Review Study

Biomedical Research Support Center and the Scientific Peer Review of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)

Client: Department of Defense, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC)

Each year, the USAMRMC receives approximately 2,500 proposals from health researchers requesting funding through CDMRP. Since 1995, Constella has been supporting USAMRMC by providing a comprehensive Peer Review Service Center to help them determine the scientific merit of each proposal and ultimately, which ones to fund.

Through the Scientific Peer Review and Grants Management division, Constella participates in the design of the investment strategy for each research program, assists with the preparation of the Program Announcement, interfaces with research communities to make them aware of the Army's funding programs and responds to their inquiries regarding submission of proposals. In addition, Constella is responsible for receiving, processing, and referring proposals to the review panel; performing scientific and technical merit peer review; preparing a summary statement for each proposal reviewed; and coordinating with the programmatic review group that conducts the second tier of review where funding recommendations are determined.

Through this contract, Constella has successfully managed the receipt, review, and summary statement writing of more than 27,000 proposals/applications, referring them to more than 530 peer review panels comprised of more than 10,000 scientific and consumer reviewers. To perform this work, our Meeting/Travel Planners have supported over 90 peer review sessions during more than 40 meetings.

CDMRP research initiatives Constella has supported include breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers; chronic myelogenous leukemia; osteoporosis; neurofibromatosis; tuberous sclerosis; prion diseases; and initiatives related to the health and readiness of military personnel.

PTSD Peer Review

Client: Department of Defense, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC)
The uniquely prevalent wound in the global war on terrorism is traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI can be caused by blast exposure, gunshot wounds, motor vehicle injury, or other events. In addition, life threatening injuries can trigger terror, horror and helplessness. This creates a double jeopardy in which veterans are simultaneously exposed to the risk of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and concussive head injury.

The Department of Defense has been tasked with funding research into the causes and treatments of TBI and PTSD, and has turned to Constella for support in managing the peer review program. As we do for many other research portfolios DOD funds, Constella will track proposals, find experts, convene and facilitate scientific review meetings, and provide findings and summary reports to DOD so that novel and effective means of treating these wounded warriors can be quickly funded.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Peer Review Study

Client: U.S. Department of Education

As the research arm of the Department of Education, IES has the lead responsibility to expand the nation's fundamental knowledge and understanding of education through research and development. One of the ways IES strives to promote excellence and equity in American education is by conducting grant-funded research projects designed to help improve education. In 2004, IES launched eight grant competitions, receiving 75-100 applications each.

Constella assists IES with the management and administration of the peer review process for these applications. Constella supports every phase of the process, including developing application information and managing the submission process, receiving, qualifying, and cataloging all submissions, posting proposals for reviewer analysis, preparing all meeting materials, managing onsite meeting logistics and administrative support for reviewers, and preparing scoring reports and summary statements.

Constella also provides technical support to the program to help automate and facilitate the Peer Review process, including development and implementation of a system for the electronic distribution and receipt of applications, development of a Web-based Peer Review Management System, development of administrative project support database, and the production of reviewer evaluation forms and summary statements for a Web-based peer review system.