Clinical Research Coordinator I

The Cognitive Outcomes of Geriatric Surgery (COGS) Research Group is seeking a responsible, highly motivated, and enthusiastic candidate for the position of Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) I. Our mission is to understand why surgery and general anesthesia cause both acute and long-lasting cognitive impairment in older adults. As such, we are interested in the impact of common geriatric conditions such as mild cognitive impairment and frailty in the development of postoperative delirium; the role of surgery-induced inflammation on cognitive outcomes; and whether surgery/anesthesia exacerbate occult pre-existing cerebral neurodegeneration. The PIs are NIH-funded clinical anesthesiologists and the multidisciplinary team includes surgeons, neurologists, a neuropsychologist, scientists expert in biomarker analysis and discovery, and statistician / bioinformatician. Working under the general supervision of the PIs, the CRC is responsible for managing and executing our clinical research studies according to established policies and procedures. This includes recruiting and evaluating patients; collecting and organizing patient data; performing pre- and postoperative clinical screening such as memory and delirium testing; drawing blood samples; processing blood samples for biomarker assays; running selected assays; maintaining and updating data generated by the study; scheduling patients for follow-up study visits and calls; preparing and amending IRB applications; and adhering to regulatory requirements.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist with clinical research studies as per study guidelines and protocols.
• Recruit and evaluate potential study patients virtually and in the surgical clinic and/or preoperative testing center
• Schedule / coordinate initial preoperative and 1 month and 1-year postoperative study visits
• Conduct baseline assessments for cognition, mood, and function
• Draw and process research blood samples
• Schedule and accompany patients for study-related brain MRIs
• Engage with and assess patients in multiple settings: hospital admitting office, preoperative clinic, the operating room pre- and postoperative units, patient rooms, ICU, MRI suites, etc.
• Conduct postoperative delirium screening; collect and process blood samples (occasional weekend availability required; weekdays shortened to compensate).
• Conduct follow-up in-person and phone interviews
• Collect data from the Electronic Medical Record
• Meticulously prepare and maintain study records and prepare reports
• Assist with Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions, amendments, and active protocols.
• Assist with development of informed consent documents, study materials, and other documents, as applicable
• Assure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to the research team (e.g. serve as a liaison between patient and physician / PI; assist laboratory RAs with blood processing /analysis)