The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that, despite the ultimate success of vaccine development, the US did not have sufficient infrastructure close to communities to run clinical trials effectively, nor to engage potential participants where they live, work, and receive care. Just as the pandemic response required coordinated leadership to generate the evidence to guide decision-making, the “peacetime” clinical research enterprise does as well. If clinical trials are to generate evidence that is generalizable across populations and serves a wide variety of purposes, it is critical that we expand access to them and integrate them efficiently into clinical care. This can also help to moderate the rising costs of innovation and, ultimately, improve life expectancy. This new paradigm will require a more person-centered, data-driven approach that engages communities in research, coordinates resources, and eliminates inefficiencies. New players are entering the research arena, bringing with them unique abilities to help make these changes, nationally as well as locally, building on the model from our hard-won success during the pandemic.