Both the Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital have a long, rich, and diverse tradition of excellence in clinical research that continues to expand today. The extensive resources for training clinical investigators and performing high quality translational investigation include:

• An integrated full service primary, secondary, and tertiary care hospital network with access to large numbers of both local patients with common diseases and national and international patients referred for evaluation of rare disorders
  
• Over 600,000 square feet of research space
  
• A diverse population of thousands of basic and clinical scientists studying topics ranging from very basic molecular biology to direct patient management

The Research Study Volunteer Program, RSVP for Health, where individuals register to be notified about clinical studies in their areas of interest (e.g. healthy volunteer, or in therapeutic areas) is the latest in our expanding services to further clinical research and to make our community aware of important clinical studies.

The MGH and BWH Clinical Research Mission

Both the MGH and BWH have established clinical research support programs to enhance translational (bench to bedside) research, train clinical investigators, increase clinical trial activity, and support the clinical research programs of the Harvard-Dana Farber Cancer Institute Joint Venture, and the Harvard Medical School. Through academic enrichment programs and direct support services, the MGH Clinical Research Program (CRP) and the BWH Center for Clinical Investigation (CCI) are contributing to a culture in which all forms of clinical research can flourish. Both the MGH CRP and BWH CCI provide direct services and resources to facilitate the performance of quality clinical research.

Our clinical research services provide:

1. advice and support to beginning investigators to help them design a study, locate a mentor, obtain funding, and proceed through the regulatory approval process;
2. direct support services for investigators (biostatistical consultation, links to sponsors, study start-up and subject recruitment services, access to a pool of experienced study coordinators who can manage day-to-day protocol activities, and access to project management services for large or multicenter studies.); and
3. advocacy for clinical investigators within our hospital systems, serving on committees and managing special projects.

The MGH and BWH clinical research programs offer:

• biostatistical support to all clinical investigators and consultation prior to grant submission on study design, and statistical analyses for inclusion in grant submissions and protocols, statistical modeling, statistical analyses of preliminary data, sample size calculations, and other biostatistical issues.
• study start-up services for investigators initiating clinical studies. Staff offer assistance in preparing IRB submissions, preparing budgets, identifying study coordinators, collaborating with sponsors in securing support of investigator initiated studies of scientific merit, and managing study initiation;
• subject recruitment services to consult with investigators to design effective recruitment strategies tailored to the protocol’s target population, budget and timelines; and
• study coordinator services offer the services of experienced study coordinators for day-to-day management of clinical studies.

Our programs also serve as an interface between clinical investigators and sponsors. We are the first point of contact for an investigator seeking a commercial sponsor or source of a novel therapy. Our educational programs strive to improve the quality and increase the quantity of clinical research of clinical research by educating current and future investigators, research nurses and study coordinators.

To learn more about the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Center for Clinical Investigation, click here.

To learn more about the Massachusetts General Hospital Clinical Research Program, click here.