Annual Report

As one of 13 research Hubs in the $1.7 billion NIH-funded RECOVER Initiative, the UIC-led Illinois Research Network (ILLInet) is driving national progress in understanding, diagnosing, and treating Long COVID. Our approach begins with partnership—engaging people living with Long COVID and community-based organizations as equal collaborators in designing research and shaping priorities. This commitment to trustworthiness and reciprocity has strengthened recruitment, retention, and the real-world relevance of our work.

Our leadership spans the scientific spectrum: defining Long COVID through the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine consensus process; leading studies on the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2; uncovering vascular-metabolic dysfunction in skeletal muscle as a driver of post-exertional malaise; hosting a biostatistical node within RECOVER’s national network; and helping plan clinical trials through the NIH/NIAID-led oversight committee for the RECOVER Treating Long COVID Consortium.

We also share our findings widely—through peer-reviewed publications, public summits, and media outreach on television —ensuring that science informs both care and policy. Together, these contributions help transform the lived experiences of Long COVID into actionable solutions for patients, clinicians, and communities nationwide. Long COVID is different in different people – we are now working to understand how to diagnose and treat the different faces of Long COVID.

The RELIANCE trial—the RofLumilast or Azithromycin to preveNt COPD Exacerbations study—is the first large-scale, head-to-head comparison of two commonly used therapies for patients with COPD and chronic bronchitis who face a high risk of hospitalization or death. Funded by PCORI and led by a national consortium anchored at UIC, RELIANCE is designed as a pragmatic clinical trial—integrated into real-world care, with eligibility criteria and data collection methods that mirror routine practice.

What makes RELIANCE unique is its consortium model. Academic medical centers, and community-based practices across the U.S. work together to reach diverse patients, including those historically underrepresented in clinical research. The trial uses multiple enrollment pathways—both traditional site-based recruitment and a decentralized approach through a centralized call center—to broaden access and reduce participation burdens.

By focusing on outcomes that matter most to patients— quality of life and survival—RELIANCE aims to generate results that clinicians can apply immediately in practice. Beyond answering a critical clinical question, the trial also serves as a model for how to design multi-site studies that are scientifically rigorous, operationally efficient, and directly relevant to the decisions patients and clinicians face every day.

In 2020, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services engaged UIC’s Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design (IHDD) to develop a vision of health delivery transformation for Illinois communities grounded in community-identified healthcare needs and responsive to health-related social needs. The result was Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives, a $1.15B initiative Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law in 2021, to center Illinois’ healthcare delivery system around people and communities.

In 2022, UI Health received Healthcare Transformation Collaborative funding to launch the 55th and Pulaski Health Collaborative to bring comprehensive, high-quality care into Chicago’s Gage Park and West Elsdon communities which face some of the state’s highest rates of chronic illness—including hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease—driven in part by limited access to specialty healthcare, compounded by unmet social needs. Since opening in June 2022, there have been 60,000 patient encounters at the 55th & Pulaski site.

Having established a presence in the community, In 2023, UI Health re-engaged the Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design (IHDD) to conduct a pilot aimed at reducing high rates of hypertension in the community through health education, patient empowerment, and behavior change. The pilot was the outgrowth of a collaboration involving UI Health, IHDD and affected communities funded through the Health Equity Pilot Program (HEPP) sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. This collaboration produced an interactive hypertension action planning booklet, informed by input from UI Health patients and primary care providers, one-on-one education sessions with UIC College of Pharmacy students, and provision of a free Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure monitor.

Realizing that sustained health improvements require lifestyle support, a six-week class focused on healthy eating and meal preparation was piloted. Held in the community room in the 55th and Pulaski clinic, the Me 4 Me Program included hands on classes for participants to learn how to cook affordable, nutritious meals and integrate physical activity into their daily lives. Participants built practical habits like learning to read nutrition labels and exercise by dancing to their favorite songs, all conducted in a supportive community setting.

The results were noteworthy: Participants saw an average systolic blood pressure drop of 19 mm Hg, with 100%, reporting improved self-management skills and greater confidence in making healthier choices. Building on the healthcare services enabled by the Healthcare Transformation Collaborative funding, the community and provider-informed Me 4 Me program demonstrated that when healthcare meets people where they live, work and play, improved health can happen.

In 2024, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared firearm violence a public health crisis, citing its profound impact on mental health and community safety. According to Murthy, mass shootings, in particular, “cause outsized collective trauma on society and have a strong negative effect on the public’s perception of safety,” due to their unpredictable and random nature.

To accelerate healing and recovery in the aftermath of mass shootings, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Division of Mental Health, and the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention partnered with IHDD to co-develop a statewide plan. This plan ensures that residents receive coordinated, consistent, and comprehensive mental health support.

The resulting Mental Health Response Plan is grounded in a detailed service blueprint that outlines key structures, roles, and infrastructure needed to address current gaps. It is informed by evidence-based, trauma-informed best practices and shaped by insights from individuals with lived experience.

The plan is anchored by four core components:

1. Mental Health Response Lead – A newly created, centralized crisis counselor role responsible for coordinating mental health efforts within affected neighborhoods after a mass shooting.
2. Mental Health Response Network – A team of trained community members, victim advocates, and crisis responders, all led by the Mental Health Response Lead.
3. Mental Health Navigation Model – A framework that defines clear protocols and response processes across the Network.
4. Response Blueprint – A guide detailing how and when different services should be activated following a mass shooting.

Following a review of the plan, IDHS committed $2.1 million in funding to support the hiring of Mental Health Response Leads across 12 Chicago neighborhoods for 2025 and 2026.