Clinical Research
Our extensive clinical research program covers a broad spectrum of research interests from the study of sleep disorders and its impact on the anesthesia management of OSA patients, to the understanding of factors leading to the development of chronic pain conditions and treatment to manage these.
Anesthesiology Clinical Research Center
The Anesthesiology Clinical Research Center (ACRC) conducts clinical research with federal, foundation, and industry funding. Janet Vaughan, MS, NP, serves as the director of the center, and oversees a staff of a research nurse coordinator, research technician and an administrator . The ACRC has equipment and resources necessary for the performance of inpatient and outpatient clinical research according to Good Clinical Practice, with the use of BSL II lab and also has the instruments (e.g., AirSense10 and ApneaLinkAir) and experience necessary to obtain quantitative data transfer of sleep and activity function.
One of the major areas of ACRC research has been Phase II, III, and IV clinical trials of treatments for outpatients with a wide variety of chronic pain conditions. Over the past 20 years, the ACRC has been very active in multicenter clinical trials conducted by industry sponsors for the development of new analgesic drugs and in evaluating new analgesic indications for existing medications. The ACRC has particular expertise in clinical trials of the treatment and prevention of neuropathic pain, especially postherpetic neuralgia and painful diabetic neuropathy. Multiple clinical trials have also been conducted in fibromyalgia, low back pain, osteoarthritis, cancer-related pain, and opioid-associated bowel dysfunction as well as procedural related efficacy in reducing long term pain conditions.
Studies of inpatients have also been conducted for many years by the staff of the ACRC, including research ,related to cardiac and critical care anesthesia, ARDS and post-operative pain. Faculty members who have conducted these studies have played major roles in multicenter ICU clinical trials and are nationally recognized for these contributions.
Faculty and Staff
Janet Pennella-Vaughan, MS, NP
Director, Anesthesiology Clinical Research Center
Senior Associate Nurse Practitioner, Anesthesia Pain Service
Clinical Associate, School of Nursing
Rajbala Thakur, M.B.B.S., M.D.
Medical Director, Anesthesiology Clinical Research Center
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
Tammy Ortiz
Research Administrator
Nancy Robertson, RN, MS
Research Nurse Coordinator
Tatsiana Stefanos
Research Technician