Boston HealthNet (BHN) Research Collaborative
BHN Research Collaborative
About the Boston HealthNet (BHN) Research Collaborative
Boston HealthNet (BHN) is an integrated health care system consisting of Boston Medical Center, 13 Community Health Centers and the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine at Boston University dedicated to improving the health of Boston’s low-income and minority populations. The Boston HealthNet Research Collaborative (BHNRC) is guided by a team of leaders from BHN, the Boston University Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s (BU CTSI) Community Engagement program and the Clinical Research Network (CRN).
Formed in 2021, BHNRC supports equitable research collaborations that reflect CHC priorities, build community capacity, and promote health equity. Through its guiding principles and rules of engagement, established to facilitate early and meaningful engagement between academic researchers and CHC leadership, the Collaborative strives for research that is community-informed, mission-aligned, and built on trust.
Click here to submit a research request to one or more of our health center partners after reading through the tabs below.
To learn more about the BHN, click here.
To learn more about BU CTSI’s Community Engagement program, click here.
Research Collaborative Participating CHCs
Steps for Partnering with Health Centers in Research Projects
- Step 1: Review the Health Center Bios to identify potential partners
- Health Center Bios include patient demographics of the CHC, the CHC’s research priorities, and best practices of research methodology
Step 2: Review the Guiding Principles and Rules of Engagement and complete the BHN Project Request Form
Use the BHN Project Request Form to outline your proposed project as soon as you have a project in mind, ideally one month before grant submission.
- Submitting the form automatically sends an email to the Research Liaison for each Health Center checked in the survey
- The Guiding Principles and Rules of Engagement is utilized by CHCs in decision-making for research participation. By including Health Centers in planning, we aim to turn participation into equitable partnership and ensure regular and transparent communication and that Health Center workflow impact and necessary supports are being considered
- Questions populated in the form will depend on which category your project falls under. This question is essential to make sure the appropriate information is collected. Categories include:
- Planning for grant submission and would like to partner with a BHN CHC
- Funding awarded, but project has not started and would like to partner with a BHN CHC
- Active research project in which you would like to add an addendum to include a BHN CHC
- Data only: Request for CHC data use in active research study (to be abstracted from the CDW)
- Data only: Request for CHC data use in feasibility analysis (to be abstracted from the CDW)
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Special cases to consider:
- If you are in the process of completing or have already completed an IRB application, the BHN Project Request Form will replace the old Project Summary Form. The Research Liaison will return the Request Form with the appropriate signature to the IRB once the Health Center(s) Leadership has approved participation in the project.
- Requests for data from the Clinical Data Warehouse (CDW) must first be submitted and approved by the CDW
- Aggregate count requests are approved by the BHN Research Data Review Committee and will have a 2-business day turnaround time.
Step 3: Research Liaisons will provide a written decision on research participation within 2 weeks of receiving requests.
Step 4: Once the partnership has been established and both parties are in agreement, the CHC will provide a signed Approval Letter for you to submit to the IRB. At that point research activities may begin within the CHC.
Where to Direct Inquiries
If you have any questions about the BHN Research Collaborative or would like to schedule a consultation, please reach out to bhnrc@bu.edu
Forms and Resources
- Download the full Guide for Partnering with BHN CHCs in Research
- Download the full BHN Project Request Form (note: not all questions may apply)

