3DI and UCSF

In a long-standing program supporting innovative health services research, VA funds 20 Centers of Innovation (COINs) across the US. The overarching COIN mission is to improve health care delivery in VA, and improve the health of Veterans. VA has always been a leader in health services research, and innovations in VA health care delivery have made an impact on the US health care system.

At the Center for Data to Discovery (3DI) COIN, we aim to improve VA health care delivery through our relationship with UCSF, with the goal of supporting a pipeline of clinical and non-clinical VA fellows and faculty engaged in VA research aligned with 3DI focus areas. Our investigators conduct research related to VA priority areas, including (1) suicide prevention, (2) chronic pain, (3) homelessness, (4) economic factors related to health, (4) substance use (tobacco, cannabis, alcohol use disorder), (5) rural health, (5) access to care, including virtual care delivery and community care, (6) precision oncology, (7) caregiver support, (8) women’s health, (9) traumatic brain injury, and (10) military exposures. The VA is also interested in methodological innovations, building capacity in multidisciplinary research with particular interest in the use of AI to improve health care delivery.

3DI provides support to promising UCSF researchers interested in becoming VA investigators. We provide orientation to VA research opportunities and processes, connection with mentors and collaborators, access to pilot data, methodological input for quantitative, qualitative, and implementation science aims, and opportunities for Veteran Engagement (i.e., community engagement). While these are necessary tools for writing a successful proposal, the first step in becoming involved in VA research is to identify a VA mentor (if you are a junior investigator) and/or VA collaborators (if you are mid-career or senior investigator). Please see the list of 3DI Core Investigators on this website to identify overlapping interests.