
Center Overview
Albany Associates In Cardiology (A Division of Prime Care Physicians, PC) is a private practice of a large cardiology group with more than 16 cardiologists. We also have a Center for Preventive Medicine consisting of a physician and two Registered Dieticians and a Certified Diabetic Instructor. The center focuses on lipid management and heart healthy lifestyles. Our practice is located in Albany New York. We have over 10 years of experience in the performance of clinical trials phase II, III, and IV in both the in-patient and out-patients clinical settings.
"STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES AND STRONG PHYSICIAN-PATIENT RELATIONSHIPS ARE OUR BENCHMARKS"

Clinical Research Experience
Our research center has extensive experience in conducting phase II-IV trials in the following therapeutic areas:
In-Patient:
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Interventional Cardiology
- Intravascular Ultrasound
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Cardiac Devices
Out-Patient:
- Arrhythmia and Pacemakers
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Congestive Heart Failure (including infusion clinic)
- Hypertension
- Hyperlipidemia
- Diabetes
- Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
- Ultrasound - Echocardiography, Carotid Ultrasound; Abdominal Ultrasound

Facility Description
Our research department is located in our main office of our practice in Albany New York. Our facility is just minutes away from Albany International Airport, NYS thruway and bus & train stations. We offer the following diagnostic/therapeutic opportunities:
- CLIA certified laboratory (Dry Ice is available as needed with certified staff in packaging specimens)
- Nuclear Testing including MUGA, PERSANTINE, CARDIOLITE ETT, DOUBUTAMINE ETT
- Ultrasound Department including echocardiography (both 2-D & 3-D), carotid ultrasound, abdominal ultrasound
- Stress Echocardiography (dobutamine, contrast, etc.)
- Peripheral Vascular Testing
- Holter & Tilt testing
- Device Clinic (ICD & pacemakers including Cardiac Resynchronization
Therapy)
- Coumadin Clinic
- Cardiopulmonary Function Testing
- Non-Invasive Cardiac Output Testing
- Heart Failure Infusion Clinic
- EECP therapy
- Cardiac Cath Lab where we perform both coronary & peripheral interventions using state of the art equipment
Our center has the capability to use both a central IRB and local IRB depending on the needs of the trial and sponsor.

Investigator Experience
Dr. Mohamad El-Zaru
Co-Director of Clinical Research and Principle Investigator
Dr. El-Zaru has been involved in clinical research since 2002. Dr. El-Zaru has participated in several clinical trials with a focus on heart failure. Dr. El-Zaru is a non-invasive cardiologist specializing in heart failure/transplant in both the clinical and research settings. He also works at Tufts University/New England Medical Center in Boston as a heart failure/transplant cardiologist. Dr. El-Zaru carefully reviews each protocol before he accepts participation to ensure enrollment goals can be achieved.
Dr. David G. Wolinsky
Co-Director of Clinical Research and Principle Investigator
Dr. Wolinsky has been involved in clinical research since 1996 demonstrating expertise in areas of lipid management, risk assessment with Myocardial Perfusion Imaging, Congestive Heart Failure in both the clinical and research settings. He is also the Director of Nuclear Cardiology in our facility and the Director of Cardiac Rehab at St. Peter's Hospital. Dr. Wolinsky carefully reviews each protocol before he accepts participation to ensure enrollment goals can be achieved.
Dr. Eric S. Roccario
Co-Director of Clinical Research & Principle Investigator
Dr. Roccario has been involved in clinical research since 1994 demonstrating expertise in lipid management and both cardiac and vascular interventional cardiology in both the clinical & research settings. The Cleveland Clinic lists Dr. Roccario as an IVUS investigator in their database. Dr. Roccario carefully reviews each protocol before he accepts participation to ensure enrollment goals can be achieved.
Dr. John D. Bennett, Jr.
Principle Investigator
Dr. Bennett has been participating in clinical research since 1996 demonstrating expertise in heart failure management, hypertension, and lipid management in both the clinical & research settings. Dr. Bennett is the Director of Cardiac Ultrasound Department, Director of Heart Failure Clinic at Albany Memorial Hospital & Chief of Cardiology at Albany Memorial Hospital. Dr. Bennett carefully reviews each protocol before accepting to participate to ensure enrollment goals can be achieved.
Dr. Guillermo Sosa-Suarez
Principle Investigator
Dr. Sosa-Suarez has participated in clinical research since 1987 demonstrating expertise in electrophysiology, cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac device implantation in both the clinical and research settings. Dr. Sosa-Suarez carefully reviews each protocol before he accepts participation to ensure enrollment goals can be achieved.
Dr. Anthony R. Turi
Principle Investigator
Dr. Turi has participated in clinical research since 1996 demonstrating expertise in cardiac arrhythmias and devices both the clinical and research settings. Dr. Turi carefully reviews each protocol before he accepts participation to ensure enrollment goals can be achieved.
Dr. Paul E. Lemanski
Principle Investigator
Dr. Lemanski has been involved in clinical research since 1995. Dr. Lemanski is a physician of internal medicine with a focus in lipid management & preventive management in both the clinical and research settings. Dr. Lemanski is the Founder & Director for the Center for Preventive Medicine. Dr. Lemanski carefully reviews each protocol before he accepts participation to ensure enrollment goals can be achieved.
*Please see our web-site for additional information.

Staff Expertise
We have several experienced Principle Investigators, a Nurse Practitioner, a Physician Assistant and a study coordinator with a many years of cumulative experience in successfully completing several clinical trials.
Deborah L. Petridis, MS, RN, ACNP-C
Physician-Extender assigned to assist in the recruitment and assessment of research patients.
Debbie has completed NIH training and has been involved in clinical research since 2001. She gives support to study coordinator in addition to being a physician-extender. Debbie has mid-level provider/research privileges at area hospitals.
Lisa D. Roche-Schroeder, RN, CCRC
Clinical Research Director
Lisa has been involved in clinical research since 2002 and has been the Clinical Research Director since 2006. Lisa is a certified clinical research coordinator since 2004. Lisa manages all regulatory issues, budget and contract negotiations, and coordinates both in-patient and out-patient trials with research privileges at 1 area hospital. Lisa is BLS certified, certified phlebotomist, hazmat certified, and has completed NIH training, HIPPA training, & GCP. Lisa holds current membership with the New York Society of Clinical Research Associates and the Association of Clinical Research Professionals
Roxann Bates, MA
Clinical Research Coordinator
Roxann in the clinical research coordinator and manages all of the outpatient clinical trials. She is currently training to become a certified study coordinator. Roxann manages regulatory issues and coordinates out-patient trials. Roxann is BLS certified, certified phlebotomist, hazmat certified, and has completed NIH training, HIPPA training, & GCP training. Roxann holds current membership with the Association of Clinical Research Professionals.

Patient Demographics
We have a large practice of patients numbering more than 20,000 active in our practice. Patients are referred from all over Eastern New York, Western Vermont and Massachusetts. This practice is an ideal setting for enrollment of patients in cardiovascular clinical trials. We have had great success in recruiting subjects by outside physician referrals from various local practices. Our facility has the capabilities for local advertising including newspaper ads, and both radio and television ads for out-patient trials.
THERE IS A POSSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD CLINICAL RESEARCH WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

Other Information
Advantages for Potential Subjects:
- Patient Education
- Close follow-up
- Free tests and clinics
Advantages for Site Selection:
- Rapid regulatory package and contract turnaround time to expedite study start-up.
- Ability to use either a local IRB or central IRB (have used WIRB, Schulman, RCRC)
- Office location is optimal with airport, train station, bus station, NYS thruways and many hotels within minutes
- Flexible scheduling to accommodate monitors
- Large monitoring area with phone, fax, copy and internet capabilities

Contact Information
For more information, please contact:
Lisa D. Roche-Schroeder, RN, CCRC
Clinical Research Director
Albany Associates In Cardiology (A Division of Prime Care Physicians, PC)
2 Palisades Drive, Executive Woods
Albany, NY 12205 USA
Phone: 518-458-2000 x2759
Fax: 518-591-1115
E-mail:
If you are interested in contacting this center to discuss placing a clinical trial there, please complete and send the E-mail form below. A representative from the research center will then follow up with you.