New Clinical Research Office opens at Ponce Research Institute
Will collaborate with the Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida
Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) announced the inauguration of a new Clinical Research Office as part of the Ponce Research Institute. The purpose of this new office is to strengthen clinical research taking place at PHSU. It will provide infrastructure within the university to develop and coordinate studies, quality service, and mentoring to help new and established researchers in all phases of their work. The opening of this office begins with a collaboration with the Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida that will allow for the creation of a network of clinical trials in Puerto Rico.
“Our vision is to reduce the disparities in clinical research and oncology treatment in Puerto Rico by increasing the capacity for clinical research while providing unique research experiences to researchers, patients, and sponsors. The Clinical Research Office will also provide scientific support to the Ponce Research Institute which investigates new therapies and options in the area of disease prevention,” said Dr. Roberto Torres, director of the Clinical Research Office.
Speaking about the clinical trials, Dr. Torres added that these “may provide access to new treatments, while patients receive close oversight, counseling, attention, and support from the research team. Also, they allow patients to understand better their illness or condition, and the opportunity to be part of discoveries that benefit society,” he said.
Ponce Health Sciences University is an institution focused on medicine, clinical psychology, biomedical sciences, public health, and nursing. Since 1977 it has developed highly capable professionals in the field of health. It now has an educational center in Santurce that offers a master’s in medical sciences and a doctorate in clinical psychology.
To learn more about Ponce Health Sciences University, contact 787-840-2575, ext. 5724 or visit www.psm.edu.
About Ponce Research Institute
Ponce Research Institute is part of Ponce Medical School Foundation, Inc., a non-profit entity (501 c.3) that provides the research infrastructure to Ponce Health Sciences University. Its mission is to conduct high-quality research that help to decrease the health disparities faced by Puerto Rican patients.
About Moffitt Cancer Center
The Clinical Research Office of the Ponce Research Institute and The Moffitt Cancer Center Association were created to overcome the disparities in clinical research and oncology treatments among the Hispanic/Latino population, evidenced by diagnosis in advanced stages, barriers for patient care, as well as the lack of representation in clinical trials about cancer.
