A brick Downtown Campus building with six tall columns and a brick walkway on a sunny day. A brick Downtown Campus building with six tall columns and a brick walkway on a sunny day.

Center for Human Services Research (CHSR)

About the Center for Human Services Research

The Center for Human Services Research (CHSR) has over 30 years of experience in social service research and evaluation. CHSR is dedicated to developing empirically-based knowledge to improve the design and delivery of services that address social issues and meet community needs in the Capital region, across New York State, and across the United States.

We conduct evaluation research and design information systems to inform policymakers and service providers across a broad spectrum of fields serving vulnerable and marginalized populations using our sophisticated research, technical, and management skills. CHSR values integrity in its work and is dedicated to providing timely, accurate, and non-partisan information to guide best practice in the human services.

CHSR also houses the Data Management and Analytics Center (DMAC), which supports University at Albany researchers by providing consulting and more extensive services for analytical, survey design and implementation, research and methodology, and research technology needs.

 

Our Work

CHSR areas of inquiry and expertise cover a wide range of topics including education and early childhood development; children, family, and elder services; health behavior and services; economic and community development; and criminal and juvenile justice; for more information, see the Projects page.

Our staff are skilled at qualitative and quantitative evaluation and research, program development, and system and software development; for more information, see the Skills & Expertise page.

CHSR has developed significant partnerships with several University entities and with government offices and non-profit service providers throughout New York State, and has written successful grant applications for local, state, and federal funding.

 

External Links

Follow CHSR on Linkedin to learn more about our recent research, evaluations, analyses and activities.

Find all of CHSR's reports, research briefs and publications in our Scholars Archive page. Our recent public presentations are available on our Publications page.

CHSR creates and hosts dashboards demonstrating project implementation progress and outcome achievement through interactive data visualizations in Tableau dashboards. View our public dashboards.

 

New Frontiers to Health

Scientists can identify the origins of diseases by studying how RNA turns genes on and off, potentially leading to innovative disease treatments and possible cures.

Biological Science grad student Marissa Louis in RNA lab

The RNA Institute offers unique opportunities to researchers and trainees for collaboration and interdisciplinary research. We have more than 50 faculty working to understand the role of RNA in fundamental biological processes, developing RNA as a tool for science and harnessing this knowledge to improve human health. 

The RNA Institute is more than just a modern research facility. We are a collection of diverse and talented researchers and laboratories united by a common goal in understanding the role of RNA across different fields, including biology, chemistry, biomedical sciences, physics, and nanobiosciences. RNA forms the basis of our research, it is the common element that we study, build, modify and analyze as well as the building blocks that we use to construct tools, reporters, and therapies.

Our RNA Training Programs provide a multi-disciplinary curriculum with a focus on RNA and its health-related benefits. We develop our future science leaders by providing trainees from high school to post-doc students and beyond with comprehensive access to faculty, techniques, and collaborations within Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, and Nanobiosciences. Our training includes the Doctoral RNA Training Program and the Undergraduate Summer Fellowship.
 

Ken Halvorsen and student researcher of the RNA Institute

One of The RNA Institute's strengths is the diversity of our faculty's research and range of disciplines. However, the diversity of our faculty and trainees lags behind the University at Albany's undergraduate population and surrounding communities. In line with UAlbany's mission to ensure that diversity, in its people and in its ideas, drives excellence in everything that it does, the Institute launched a multi-pronged approach to increase diversity and support inclusivity at the Institute and across STEM disciplines.
 

The RNA Institute hosted its inaugural RNA Day, inviting local students from the New York State’s Science Technology Entry Program (STEP) and Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region
The RNA Institute News
The RNA Institute, College of Arts and Sciences
Life Sciences 2033

1400 Washington Ave
Albany, NY 12222
United States

Phone
Fax
518-437-4456
Office Hours

On Site & By Phone: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Twitter: @TheRNAInstitute

RNA Institute logo, College of Arts and Sciences