Collaboration Takes Center Stage
Part of a three-part series:
The biggest takeaway from the ACR® Strategic Research Summit, beyond any single project or proposal, was the recognition that collaboration — just as much as innovation — will define the next phase of radiology research.
Throughout the day, speakers emphasized that no single organization can do this work alone.
Large-scale studies, AI validation efforts and registry development all require coordination across academic institutions, industry partners, federal agencies and professional societies.
This level of collaboration brings complexity, but it also creates opportunity. Shared funding, shared data and shared expertise can move projects forward faster than isolated efforts. ACR is uniquely positioned to serve as that convener, bringing stakeholders together, aligning priorities and providing the infrastructure and experience needed to move collaborative research forward.
In discussing future research opportunities at the Summit, there was no avoiding the reality of funding constraints. With federal paylines tightening and competition increasing, researchers are being asked to think differently about how research is supported.
Potential funding pathways must now emphasize alternative models, to include:
The takeaway was practical and forward-looking. The resources are out there, but coordination and alignment are essential to access alternative funding sources.
One of the biggest ACR contributions moving forward will be infrastructure.
By building and maintaining platforms and capabilities for data collection, image sharing and analytics, ACR can help remove one of the biggest barriers to research: Getting the right data in the right format at the right time.
Through the ACR Center for Research and Innovation™ (CRI) and the ACR Data Science Institute® (DSI), ACR is already delivering these capabilities in practical, impactful ways. For example, CRI supports multisite clinical trials by providing centralized data coordination, imaging core lab services and standardized image acquisition protocols via QUIC, TRIAD and ACR Connect — ensuring data consistency and quality across participating institutions.
DSI complements this by enabling secure image and data sharing environments for large, curated and annotated datasets while developing AI-ready infrastructure that allows researchers to train and validate algorithms efficiently via ACRdart and ACR AI-Lab™.
These combined efforts allow investigators to access harmonized datasets more quickly, reduce duplication of effort and collaborate across institutions without the traditional logistical and technical barriers. In turn, this infrastructure accelerates study start-up, improves data reliability and supports the development and validation of advanced imaging tools, including AI applications.
Together, CRI and DSI are not only supporting individual studies — they are building a scalable research ecosystem that makes high-quality, multi-institutional radiology research more efficient and more achievable than ever before.
Another important focus was the research workforce.
Balancing clinical responsibilities with research is becoming increasingly difficult, especially as imaging volumes continue to grow. At the same time, there’s a need to train the next generation of researchers.
Ideas discussed included:
The Summit concluded with a consensus ranking of key research priorities to help guide the future strategy of the ACR Commission on Research and CRI’s collaborative initiatives. These priorities will be published in the JACR® to catalyze research collaborations and accelerate progress toward shared goals. Future summits will focus on advancing these priorities while continuing to build a pipeline for innovation and progress in radiology.
This wasn’t just a one-day meeting — it marked the beginning of a more coordinated effort to align the field around shared research goals.
Radiology has always been at the intersection of technology and medicine. Now, with new tools, new data and new challenges, it also needs to be at the center of collaboration.
The 2026 ACR Strategic Research Summit showed that the appetite for collaboration is strong — and the opportunity to move the field forward together has never been greater.
By Alexandra Kerns, Senior Business Development Manager, ACR Center for Research and Innovation™
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