Clinical Research Support Services (CRSS)

The CRSS program at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh helps researchers launch, manage, and realize:

  • Investigator-initiated trials
  • Grant-funded research
  • Multi-center group trials
  • Industry-sponsored trials

We offer:

  • Research project management
  • Financial and regulatory support
  • Research coordinator help

Our Research Support Services

Research management

A Clinical Research Manager (CRM) handles the day-to-day efforts of the program including oversight of:

  • Research staff.
  • Ongoing clinical trials.
  • Tasks related to starting new research trials.

A CRM also:

  • Talks with sponsors.
  • Assists pre-award administrator with budget development.
  • Helps execute contracts.
  • Ensures timely submission of all regulatory documents through metric tracking.
  • Works with researchers and the research team on recruitment plans.

Regulatory support

A regulatory coordinator prepares documents to send to all governing bodies, meeting the requirements of the following oversight offices:

The coordinator also reports adverse reactions — both serious and non-serious — to all proper regulatory committees.

Clinical research nurse coordinators (CRCs)

Our skilled CRCs handle:

  • Carrying out protocols to include the recruitment of research subjects.
  • Scheduling research visits and managing conduct.
  • Ensuring research meets protocol guidelines.
  • Helping collect, process, and ship specimens as needed.
  • Developing study-specific source documents (data collection forms).
  • Staying in constant contact with the clinical team.

Quality assurance review

The Department of Pediatrics supports an expert team of research and regulatory coordinators.

Upon request, the QA review team can:

  • Make sure research studies at Children's are protocol and regulatory compliant.
  • Find areas where the study team needs to take action.
  • Support the study team in both preventing and solving compliance issues.