Accelerating Solutions for Cell and Gene Therapy Evaluation and Novel Delivery (ASCEND)
Advancing CU Anschutz as a Premier Destination for Cell & Gene Therapy Clinical Trials
WHO: ASCEND is a multidisciplinary, campus-wide clinical trials initiative housed within School of Medicine Research Office, under the leadership of Dr. Adit Ginde, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Research. This initiative was co-developed by a leadership group representing the School of Medicine Research Office, UCHealth, Children’s Hospital Colorado, the Gates Institute, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, CU Innovations, and clinical trial units across multiple departments.
WHAT: The ASCEND program will support clinical trials of gene-modified and cellular therapies, as well as in vivo genome-modifying therapies. It will serve as a centralized hub for cell and gene therapy study intake, feasibility assessment, startup, implementation, and long-term follow-up within CU Anschutz and with UCHealth*.
ASCEND will:
- Establish infrastructure for successful conception and implementation of cell and gene therapy clinical trials.
- Strengthen cross-campus collaboration and alignment with campus infrastructure, research teams, hospital partners, the Gates Institute, and regulatory support.
- Promote industry partnerships to increase CU and industry-sponsored clinical trials, translational collaborations, and the co-development of next-generation technologies, in collaboration with CU Innovations.
*Children’s Hospital-based pediatric cell and gene therapy studies will continue to follow existing CCHRI and ExACT pathways.
WHY: Cell and gene therapy is among the most rapidly advancing fields in modern medicine. CU Anschutz is uniquely positioned for leadership in this area, with nationally recognized leaders, specialized facilities including the Gates Institute, and strong clinical partnerships. The ASCEND program unites these strengths under a coordinated, strategic framework to accelerate progress.
WHEN: A phased launch began on January 5, 2026.
Researchers with qualifying studies will be asked to complete the ASCEND (Cell & Gene Therapy) Intake Form and consult with ASCEND Steering Committee before submitting the study protocol into the Human Subjects Research (HSR) Portal. Researchers with qualifying studies already entered in the HSR Portal will be contacted by the ASCEND Steering Committee.