At the Affinity Networks and Translational Teams (ANTT) Initiative, part of ASU's College of Health Solutions, we take a different approach to health research. From the beginning, we work directly with patients, community organizations, and stakeholders who care the most about the problems we're trying to solve. By involving these people from the outset, we can work faster and safer to teach the next generation of health professionals and to make our research count for those who need it most.

The ANTT Initiative identifies and supports the development of teams that focus on health challenges to develop new solutions-based research. We also have networks that serve as resource cores to document best practices, develop innovative methods, and drive research, teaching and learning to train the next generation of health leaders. 

• What are Translational Teams?

• What are Affinity Networks?

To meet the challenge of today’s most complex health problems, the ANTT Initiative brings together:

• • Academic experts: Researchers, faculty, and clinicians. 

  • Skilled specialists: Staff members like data analysts, project managers, and instructional designers. 

  • Community and industry partners: Our teams include people from hospitals, clinics, schools, nonprofits, charitable and grassroots organizations, and industry innovators and disruptors. These people bring valuable skills that help our teams work faster and smarter, insights that help focus our goals, and perspectives that broaden our understanding.

• • Students of all levels and backgrounds are an integral part of our teams, helping to implement projects and giving us valuable, real-time insights. 

  • Community members and organizations are active partners and leaders in setting priorities and defining goals: they take an active stake in designing solutions that will have the greatest impact on the people who need them most. This includes hospitals, health care and dental clinics, schools, nonprofits, businesses and industry, charitable and grassroots organizations. These partners provide insights into the health needs of our communities, and bring unique and valuable skills and knowledge to the process.