The ACRO Site Resource Grants are designed to serve as seed funding to help clinical research sites to test innovative strategies for improving clinical trial enrollment. Each grant allows the grantee site to enact a 12-month pilot project designed to educate and engage with their unique local community.
Smart Cures Clinical Research, awarded a grant from ACRO in 2024, is based in the heart of Anaheim, California – a vibrant and diverse community where many residents face economic and systemic barriers to healthcare access. Through their grant-funded initiative, Smart Cures is working to improve metabolic and liver health testing in the community by enhancing diagnostic capabilities, deploying advanced point-of-care tools, including a new FibroScan device, and increasing community representation in clinical research.
The FibroScan, a noninvasive diagnostic tool used to assess liver stiffness and fat, is at the core of this effort. When used alongside other on-site screening capabilities, the tool allows Smart Cures to proactively identify health concerns in populations that are often overlooked in clinical research. This expanded capacity supports the site’s long-term vision: building trust with underserved communities and connecting them to research opportunities that reflect their specific health needs.
This project is about more than just testing – it’s about empowerment. By offering accessible screenings for metabolic dysfunction and liver disease, Smart Cures hopes to boost health literacy and help individuals understand their risk factors early. These tools also serve as an entry point to greater community engagement in clinical research by offering residents opportunities to participate in studies that might otherwise be out of reach.
For Smart Cures, applying for the ACRO grant was a natural step in advancing their mission. The funding supports their broader goal of bridging gaps in access to healthcare and research. With new tools and resources in hand, the site aims to strengthen relationships with community members and research sponsors alike – building a platform for sustained growth, equity, and impact.
Their message to the broader clinical research industry is clear: inclusive research isn’t luxury, but rather a necessity. To improve health outcomes, clinical trials must reflect the populations they serve. That means meeting communities where they are, investing in education and outreach, and making research participation not just possible, but empowering.
As Smart Cures Clinical Research continues to expand its reach, their model offers a compelling vision for the future of clinical research – a future where innovation and equity go hand in hand.
