Division of Clinical Research (DCR)

Chief: Ebony B. Carter, MD, MPH

The Division of Clinical Research (DCR) at Washington University School of Medicine provides specialized facilities and services to support clinical research in women’s reproductive health. Together with the Center for Reproductive Health Sciences (CRepHS), the clinical research division supports the ob/gyn department’s overall research enterprise.

Clinical research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has grown exponentially over the past 10 years. The department is currently ranked among the top 10 in NIH research funding among ob/gyn departments and holds substantial foundation grants.

The goal of the DCR is to build on this record of excellence while further expanding the success and impact of our clinical research. We aim to accomplish this by providing support to established investigators while grooming new investigators to independence.

Jump to:

• Division of Clinical research mission »
• Investigator resources, support and services »
• Training and education opportunities »
• Faculty and staff »
• Active clinical trials »

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Our mission

The Division of Clinical Research serves as the hub for clinical and translational research within the department by:

• Providing shared research infrastructure
• Coordinating and improving efficiency of clinical research activities
• Enhancing existing clinical research training and education
• Fostering cross-collaboration with basic science and public health research

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Shared research infrastructure and services

The DCR provides comprehensive services to support clinical investigators. Our excellent support team – which includes research assistants, nurse coordinators, data managers, epidemiologists, a statistician and project coordinators – can assist with multiple phases of study planning, as well as data management and analysis.

We also provide a dedicated clinical research facility that has patient exam rooms, a processing lab, workstations and secure storage. Obstetric exam rooms are also available in the Maternity Building for the purpose of seeing patients for clinical research studies.

Learn more about the clinical research building »

Department-wide resources for researchers

In addition to the facilities and services provided by the DCR, resources available to investigators in the ob/gyn department include:

• Scientific manuscript editing
• Grant-finding and -writing assistance
• Ob/gyn, oncology, and other tissue and data banks

See all resources for researchers »

Efficiency of clinical research activities

The DCR coordinates and improves efficiency of clinical research activities by providing:

• Centralized data management support
• Centralized IRB and regulatory support
• Coordination of multicenter studies: database, randomization, interim analysis, DSMB reports
• Scientific review of grant applications

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Clinical research training and education

Clinical research learning opportunities in the ob/gyn department include a variety of research seminars and a training program in clinical and reproductive epidemiology. Our division supports education and training at every level of medicine.

• For fellows: Annual applied epidemiology seminar; one-on-one research consults
  Learn more about research seminars »
• For residents: Monthly Journal Club (with Dr. Raghuraman & Dr. Kuroki); Annual Second Year Residents Research Retreat
  Learn more about research training during residency »
• For undergraduate and medical students: Coordinate placement with faculty; core clinical research methods lectures in the summer

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Our faculty and staff

Many clinicians in our department are actively engaged in clinical research.
See active studies »