Blythe Brenden Children’s Clinical Research Center
Welcome to the Blythe Brenden Children's Clinical Research Center (BBCCRC), a pediatric research outpatient space designed to provide a safe and comfortable environment for research visits. Our Center is structured to ensure smooth and efficient clinical research operations for study teams. We are excited to support you in advancing pediatric healthcare and making a positive impact on the lives of our young patients and their families.
About Blythe Brenden
The BBCCRC is proudly supported by Blythe Brenden, a catalytic philanthropist, dedicated community leader, and founder of the Blythe Brenden-Mann Foundation. Blythe currently serves on the University of Minnesota Foundation Board of Trustees and the M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital Philanthropic Board. Thank you to Blythe Brenden for her generosity and philanthropic leadership as she paves a new path for groundbreaking discoveries that will help children and families in Minnesota and beyond. This new Center provides a comfortable - and family-friendly - environment for extended clinical research visits, giving even more patients the chance to take part in studies that directly improve care.
Explore Our Spaces
- Center Features
- Lobby
- Exam Rooms
- Consult Rooms
- Blood Draw Room
- Lab Space
- Medication/Clean Supply Room
- Clinical Equipment
Our facility is designed to meet a wide range of pediatric research needs. We offer:
- 4 exam rooms
- 2 consultation rooms
- Blood draw room
- Laboratory space
- Medication draw/clean supply room
- Investigator/study staff workspace
- Response by pediatric code team, rapid response team, or behavioral code team, as needed
View the following tabs to see more details on these site features.
The pediatric research clinic lobby is brightly decorated with colorful artwork and playful furniture, creating a welcoming environment for children and their families. It features a cozy waiting area with toys and books, designed to engage young patients while they wait for their appointments.
The exam rooms are designed to accommodate families, featuring vibrant colors and plenty of natural light. The space offers free Wi-Fi, TVs for entertainment, and reclining chairs to ensure both kids and parents are comfortable during their visits.
The consultation rooms are designed for functions such as consenting conversations and completing questionnaires, featuring comfortable seating, tables, and TVs.
Our blood draw room is designed to provide comfort and efficiency for both patients and staff. It includes features such as an extra-wide draw chair that allows parents to sit with their child during blood draws, a mobile lab cart for convenient storage and easy access to necessary supplies, and a handwashing station.
Our lab processing room is secured with proximity card access lock. Key features include two refrigerated centrifuges, a medical grade freezer and refrigerator, and an incubator. Additionally, the lab includes an eye wash station, shipping scale, specimen pass-through cabinet, and a dry ice chest.
Our medication supply room is equipped for the preparation and temporary storage of investigational products, secured by a proximity card access lock. It includes a medical-grade, temperature-tracked under-counter refrigerator, keypad-locked medication cabinets, a water and ice dispenser, a non-medical full-height refrigerator with a top freezer, and a microwave.
Our center offers access to a range of clinical equipment, including vital signs monitors, an ECG machine, IV pumps, otoscope/ophthalmoscopes, stethoscopes, a blanket warmer, a wheelchair-accessible scale, an infant scale, and a stadiometer.
Operations
The Blythe Brenden Children's Clinical Research Center (BBCCRC) provides a variety of operational support services to research teams, facilitating the smooth and efficient conduct of studies:
Center Management and Reception Services
The Center Manager oversees daily operations, including facility access, equipment coordination, and participant reception. They will greet study participants upon arrival and notify study staff of their arrival.
Study Intake Process
To request the use of BBCCRC space for a research study, teams must complete and submit the BBCCRC Study Intake Form. Upon submission, the study will be reviewed to determine if it is a good fit for the unit’s capabilities and resources. Estimated review time is up to 7 business days.
Room Scheduling
Research teams can reserve rooms through the CTR Portal scheduling system ensuring that space is allocated effectively based on study needs.
Staffing & Supplies
Study teams are responsible for providing their own staff and supplies. Limited on-site storage may be available for teams needing temporary storage of materials.
Training
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is required for all research staff working at the Center, as they may be involved in direct patient care or emergency situations. The Center provides BLS training at no cost to staff. Additionally, all applicable equipment training and orientation materials must be reviewed prior to patient interactions. Upon approval of a study, staff will receive an email with detailed information on required training and instructions for BLS sign-up.
Rates
$50/hour (billed in 15 minute increments) Charged for the duration of time the participant is in the Center.
Parking
The Gold Ramp Parking beneath the 2512 Building is available for patients and visitors. Valet parking is also available Monday–Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
If you don't have a University email but would like to view these resources, please reach out to bbccrc@umn.edu to request access.
Coming Soon: We’re preparing to add further resources to our website. Training Documents, Guidance Materials, and Calibration Information will be available soon. Thank you for your understanding as we finalize these documents.
Contact Us
Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM–4:00 PM
Location: 2512 S 7th St, 1st Floor, RM 181, Minneapolis, MN 55454
Contact: bbccrc@umn.edu | 612-365-0013