The Federal government, through a National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative, has continuously funded the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) since 1962. There are approximately 80 such specialized GCRCs in the United States. Our Center supports clinical investigation into the pathophysiology of human disease, and the testing of new methods of diagnosis and treatment of disease.
As a highly specialized inpatient and outpatient facility capable of managing most patients, the VCU GCRC is well suited for multidisciplinary clinical research as well as collaborative studies between institutions. The VCU GCRC is open to all medical specialties and basic science investigators as well as to dietitians, nurses, and other health care professionals based at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals or the Veterans Administration Medical Center.
The VCU GCRC serves as an interface between basic research and clinical practice by facilitating translation of basic research on disease mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment in the clinical arena.
Teaching is an integral function of the VCU GCRC and many different training programs are available through the Center. Postdoctoral trainees work in the center on specific projects and faculty members encourage students and residents to spend time in the unit. A library/conference room provides space for seminars and meetings for teaching clinical investigators.
The VCU General Clinical Research Center was established in 1962 as an NIH supported facility. The Center currently occupies the entire South and East Wings of the 8th floor of the MCVH North Hospital building. It is a separate unit with a complement of 10 inpatient research beds, outpatient space and a cadre of highly skilled research personnel to facilitate clinical research. The VCU GCRC operates as a miniature research hospital within a larger medical facility. Its highly sophisticated resource capabilities are available to all practitioners and teaching staff associated with Virginia Commonwealth University, the Virginia Commonwealth University Health Systems (VCUHS), and the VA Hospital. The Center is supported by a grant from the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health.
Guidelines for VCU GCRC operations are based on policies and procedures patterned to meet the requirements of the NIH and Congress. The General Clinical Research Center is organized under a grant to the VCUHS School of Medicine with the Dean of the School of Medicine acting as Principal Investigator.
The VCU GCRC is a department of VCUHS as well as the School of Medicine and, therefore, has access to all the services of the institution, such as physical and occupational therapies, radiology services, social work services, chaplain services, etc.
Through the recommendation of the Executive Faculty, the Dean of the School of Medicine appoints the Program Director and the Associate Program Directors who are responsible for the medical and scientific operation of the VCU General Clinical Research Center. Other personnel associated with the Center include an Administrative Manager, Systems Manager, Research Dietitian and a Nurse Manager. The Dean of the School of Medicine also appoints the VCU GCRC Advisory Committee composed of pre-clinical and clinical department members of the faculty.
Principal Investigator
Sheldon Retchin, M.D., MSPH, Vice President for Health Sciences, CEO of the VCU Health System Health System, Dean, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University Phone: (804) 828-9788 E-mail: retchin@mcvh-vcu.edu Program Director
John N. Clore, M.D., Professor of Medicine Phone: (804) 828-9228 E-mail: jclore@mcvh-vcu.edu Associate Program Director
James Arrowood, M.D., Professor of Medicine Phone: (804) 828-9638 E-mail: jarrowood@mcvh-vcu.edu Administrative Director / Administrative Assistant
Doris E, Rice Sherry Bremer Phone: (804) 828-9230 Phone: (804) 828-9227 E-mail: drice2@mcvh-vcu.edu E-mail: sbremer@mcvh-vcu.edu Nursing Manager
Lou Usry, R.N. Phone: (804) 828-9229 E-mail: lusry@mcvh-vcu.edu Bionutrition Manager / Bionutritionist
Sakita Sistrun, M.S., RD Susan Kelly, M.S., RD Phone: (804) 828-9226 Phone: (804) 828-9225 E-mail: ssistrun@mcvh-vcu.edu Email: skelly2@mcvh-vcu.edu Biostatistician
Chris Gennings, Ph.D., Professor of Biostatistics Phone: (804) 828-9824 E-mail: cgenning@vcu.edu Informatics Core Manager
Tim A. Aro Phone: (804) 828-4448 E-mail: taro@mcvh-vcu.edu Core Lab Manager / Associate Scientist
Shirley Helm, M.S. Jing Li, M.D. Phone: (804) 828-9562 Phone: (804) 828-9562 E-mail: shelm@mcvh-vcu.edu E-mail: jli@mcvh-vcu.edu Research Subject Advocate (RSA) / RSA Assistant
Leo J. Dunn, M.D., MPH Jennifer Economy Phone: (804) 828-4742 Phone: (804) 828-0228 Fax: (804) 828-0573 E-mail: jeconomy@mcvh-vcu.edu E-mail: ldunn3@mcvh-vcu.edu Additional General Clinical Research Center contact information:
- GCRC fax: (804) 828-5002
- Core Lab fax: (804) 827-1140
Bone Mineral Metabolism: Vitamin D receptor; steroids and osteoblast function, osteoporosis, osteomalacia.
Endocrinology: Secretory and nonsecretory pituitary tumors; Cushing disease; hypothalamic regulations of prolactin secretion; insulin and steroidogenesis; glucocorticoid and osteocalcin; androgen hyperplasia in acromegaly; adrenomedullary function.
Gastroenterology: Hepatitis C; alcoholic hepatitis; chronic active hepatitis; genetic mutations and adenomatous polyps, liver transplantation, hepatocyte transplantation, hepatic steatosis, clinical markers of liver failure.
Genetics: Biotinase deficiency; adrenoleukodystrophy; Sjögren-Larsson Syndrome; multiple endocrine neoplasia II A, twin studies.
Hematology and Oncology: Innovator treatments of malignancies; new compounds for treatment of sickle cell anemia.
Immunology: Immune response and AIDS.
Infectious Diseases: Fungal meningitis; treatment of systematic fungal infections; AIDS treatment; HIV infection and immune responses, HIV infection and adrenal function.
Metabolism: Insulin resistance; cholesterol metabolism; FFA in diabetes; protein kinetics and aging; control of hepatic glucose output; vascular permeability and insulin; steroids and hypertension-insulin and adrenergic firing rate and muscle blood flow. Muscle fiber type and phosphological composition and insulin resistance.
Nephrology: Sodium homeostasis in spinal cord injury; renal transplantation; renal failure and glomerular filtration rate; extrarenal potassium disposition; peritoneal transport.
Neurology: Ornithine transcarbamaylase deficiency in migraine; new diagnostic methods in epilepsy.
Obesity: Portal vein studies; genetics of obesity.
Obstetrics and Gynecology: Leukemia inhibitory factors and the endometrium; effects of estrogen and progesterone on endothelial function; polycystic ovary syndrome.
Pediatrics: Hypophosphatemia rickets; chronic renal failure; growth failure; hypoparathyroidism; pseudohypoparathyroidism; relationship between dietary intake and response to growth hormone; treatment of adrenoleukodystrophy; sudden infant death; hypoglycemia.
Pharmacology: Clinical trial of efficacy of heart failure drugs; pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies.
Psychiatry: Endocrine function in depression; schizophrenic disorders; aggression and central serotonergic function; cocaine withdrawal and fetal stress; tobacco withdrawal.
Surgery: Cardiac transplantation; cardiomyoplasty, gastrointestinal hormones after gastric bypass; TPN and cell kinetics in cancer; isolated limb protein kinetics and age; trauma and stress mediators.
The VCU GCRC Advisory Committee (GAC) consists of a cross-section of basic and clinical faculty members from the Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Hematology/Oncology, Cardiology, Infectious Disease, Pediatrics, Surgery, OB/GYN, Biostatistics, Bioengineering, and Genetics departments at the Medical College of Virginia Campus. This committee establishes basic policies and reviews the overall operation of the VCU GCRC. Its primary responsibility is to judge the scientific merit of protocols proposed for the use of VCU GCRC facilities. The committee also sets priorities based on the scientific merit of the proposed investigations and policies to aid the Program Director in the allocation of resources. Formal review of the quality and productivity of research being carried out on the center is conducted monthly. Copies of all active protocols are contained in the renewal application at the time the Center grant is competitively reviewed by NIH.
Meeting Schedule Through February 2009 |
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