Clinical Research Services Unit (CRSU)
Featured Announcement
September 13, 2011
Clinical Research Services (CRS) is comprised of the Clinical Research Services Unit (CRSU; formerly the General Clinical Research Center) and the Clinical Research Services Office (CRSO; formerly the Clinical Trials Office). The CRSU provides physical space and equipment that can be used for inpatient and outpatient clinical research including inpatient rooms for studies when patients need to stay overnight. In addition, there are research-trained nurses, dieticians, and clinical laboratory personnel available for your research.
The CRSO provides assistance with budgets/contracts and regulatory submissions for your clinical research project. In addition, it provides trained study coordinators and project managers to assist in the conduct of your clinical research studies. Finally, the CRS can help with participant recruitment for your research study.
To find out more about the CRS, please feel free to contact Betsy Ripley, MD, Executive Director (eripley@mcvh-vcu.edu) or Susan Kornstein, MD, Medical Director (skornstein@mcvh-vcu.edu).
The CRS is part of the VCU Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR). Additional resources are available within the CCTR including: research incubator, education, biomedical informatics, community engagement, and research resources. Please visit the CCTR website for more information (http://www.cctr.vcu.edu).
CRSU
The VCU Clinical Research Services Unit (CRSU) at VCUHS was established in 1962 as a General Clinical Research Center funded by the National Center for Research Resources, National Institute of Health. Starting in July 2010, the CRSU is now funded as a core resource in the Center for Clinical and Translational Research. It has facilitated research from a wide array of disciplines and areas of interest including medicine, surgery, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, behavioral science, public health and community health needs. The unit includes:
For industry sponsored research, the CRSU is approved as a site for Phase 1 and 2 studies for Western IRB (WIRB). Expedited review possible.
To access services of the CRSU, investigators will need to submit their research protocol for review.
As you develop your project budget, you will need to work with the Shirley Helm, MS, CCRP to determine a budget for CRSU resources. This can be done early in the process prior to being ready to submit the study to the IRB or to the CRSU Scientific Advisory Committee. Industry sponsored research should consider utilizing the services of Clinical Pathology for clinical lab processing.
The CRSU is supported by a grant from the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health. Investigators that utilize CRSU resources are required to make the following citation in all publications:
“The project described was supported by award Number UL1RR031990 from the National Center for Research Resources. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health.”
Inpatient and Outpatient Facilities
The CRSU currently occupies the South and East Wings of the 8th floor of the North Hospital building on MCV Campus. It is a separate unit with a complement of 11 inpatient research beds, outpatient space and a cadre of highly skilled research personnel to facilitate clinical research. The VCU CRSU operates as a miniature research hospital within a larger medical facility. To receive a tour and further explore how the facility may support your clinical research, contact the CRSU Nurse Manager.
Contact: Lou Usry, RN, CCRP, 804-828-9229, lusry@mcvh-vcu.edu
Research Nurses
The CRSU nursing staff specializes in providing care to patients in research protocols and offers a depth of knowledge in conducting clinical research. 24-hour staffing is provided with expertise from newborn through geriatrics, ambulatory to acute, and expertise in a wide variety of diseases. For acute medical emergencies, all nurses have been trained in emergency resuscitation and life sustaining techniques.
Contact: Lou Usry, RN, CCRP, 804-828-9229, lusry@mcvh-vcu.edu
Bionutrition
Registered dietitians and staff can assist with formulation and preparation of experimental diets, Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) dietary analysis, anthropometric measurements, and patient consultations. A metabolic kitchen is available for food prep if needed.
Contact: Sakita Sistrun, MS, RD, 804-828-9226, ssistrun@mcvh-vcu.edu
Participant Advocate
Dr. Leo Dunn is an advocate for patient safety. He reviews protocol and informed consent documents from the standpoint of safety of and understanding by those who volunteer as Research Subjects, directs the auditing process of active research protocols, and contributes to educational programs for staff and research teams.
Contact information: Leo J. Dunn, MD, MSHA, 804-827-0472, ldunn3@mcvh-vcu.edu
Core Laboratory Support
The Core Laboratory is located in Sanger Hall, B1-046 and is well equipped with a luminex multiplex array instrument (Bioplex), microplate reader (spectrophotometric), glucose analyzer, a biosafety cabinet (level II) and other equipment. Within the lab, tests can be developed to a researcher’s specification. For a tour and a consultation for services, contact the Core Laboratory Manager.
Contact: Shirley Helm, MS, CCRP, 804-828-9562, shelm@mcvh-vcu.edu