About ACHE Research Institute

ACHE Research Mission

To utilize innovative research and scientific collaborations for the advancement of health and wellness in our communities and to train highly skilled and compassionate health workers.

To achieve our research core objective, ACHE continues to provide modern infrastructure and support services to its faculty and students. Currently, ACHE students and faculty utilize the research lab space on the 3rd floor of the ARCOM building. This modern research facility houses top research technologies and instrumentation such as flow cytometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometers, modern cell culture facility, PCR equipment and other high-end instrumentation.

The research at ACHE extends beyond the basic-science laboratory facility. Faculty and students are also participating in highly innovative osteopathic manipulation medicine, physical therapy and occupational therapy projects. Most of those successful research projects are conducted on campus in the dedicated instructional lab areas, while others are conducted at clinical facilities, including Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital at Chaffee Crossing. In addition, many of the ARCOM medical students are taking active roles in self-driven and mentored research projects throughout campus and in collaboration with their clinical preceptors at their rotation sites.

To facilitate research, ACHE established the necessary committees that ensure legal, state, and federal compliance. The ACHE Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews and monitors all research projects that involve human subjects. Similarly, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is responsible for oversight of any research involving vertebrate animals in research or teaching. Also, among the research-facilitating committees is the ACHE Institutional Biosafety and Chemical Safety Committee. The Library Services at ACHE are also instrumental in hosting web pages for faculty career development, grant writing webinars, funding opportunities and advice on publishing the research data.

Perhaps nothing demonstrates the school’s dedication to research better than the establishment of the Research Institute and Wellness Center in Fianna Hills. This new Research Center will have 100,000 sf of dedicated research space is designed to be the home for approximately 100 new research personnel who will work towards solving important health issues and scientific discoveries. Among the areas of research that are planned for the new Institute are: Cancer, Cardiovascular, Diabetes and Endocrine, Neurodegenerative disease and other highly innovative research areas. The establishment of the new Research Institute will place ACHE as a regional and national leader in Medical Research and will surely attract top science talents to work in Fort Smith and to collaborate with our faculty at ACHE.

ACHE RESEARCH CORE OBJECTIVES

• Create, implement, and support innovative discovery solutions that advance science and improve health.
• Foster long-term strategic partnerships with other organizations to improve health and advance scientific discoveries.
• Recruit and retain competent faculty members that support the institute’s mission and assist in the growth of the research mission.
• Advance the students’ recruitment and evidence-based learning through active participation in mentored and independent scholarly work.
• As a regional leader of healthcare education, promote healthy living and quality of life in collaboration with local, regional, national, and international communities.

MESSAGE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH

JEFFREY OSBORN, PH.D.