Overview

Volunteer Research Group/New Orleans Center for Clinical Research (VRG/NOCCR) is part of the Alliance for Multispecialty Research (AMR), which is a nationwide company of 17 clinical research locations recognized as among the most experienced in the industry. AMR acknowledges the importance of multisite coordination using our standardized processes. This allows us to maximize economies of scale and consistency in order to exceed sponsor goals ahead of schedule and under budget. As the research arm for the 800+ University of Tennessee volunteer physicians, VRG/NOCCR has access to specialists and patient populations.

Organizational Values

• Rapid volunteer enrollment
• Volunteer retention
• Volunteer compliance
• Accurate quality data
• Protect volunteer safety
• Complete regulatory compliance

Our Commitment

To provide the highest quality healthcare and most accurate research data, we will continually evaluate NOCCR based on the following:

• A commitment to exceptional performance;
• Volunteer care as our primary focus;
• Respecting all individuals;
• Satisfying client requirements;
• Open and positive communication;
• Excellence in customer service and satisfaction;
• Creativity and innovation; and
• Community involvement and service.

Experience and Expertise

• More than 30 years dedicated to clinical research
• More than 1,500 trials conducted in all phases of research
• Types of studies
  • Early phase
  • Complex
  • Biological mechanistic
  • Imaging research

Therapeutic Areas

• Gastroenterology/hepatology
• Nephrology
• Obesity
• Cardiology
• Internal medicine
• Rheumatology
• Women’s health
• Pain management
• Psychiatry
• Infectious disease
• Pulmonology
• Urology
• Endocrinology
• Oncology
• Neurology (including Alzheimer’s)
• Sexual dysfunction
• Elderly
• Smoking cessation

Over the past 35 years, NOCCR/VRG has enrolled approximately 26,000 volunteers in more than 1,500 phase 1 to 4 clinical studies in the following therapeutic areas:

• Acute/chronic pain
• Alzheimer's
• Angina
• Arrhythmia
• Asthma
• Benign prosthetic hypertrophy (BPH)
• Bronchitis
• CAD
• Congestive heart failure
• COPD
• Diabetes
• Erectile dysfunction
• Female sexual dysfunction
• Functional dyspepsia
• Gastric reflux
• Headache
• Healthy volunteers
• Heartburn
• Hepatic
• Hormone replacement

• Hypertension
• Hyperlipidemia
• Insomnia
• Irritable bowel
• Metabolic syndrome
• Migraine headache
• Obesity
• Oral contraceptives
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Peripheral vascular disease
• Renal insufficiency
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Smoking cessation
• Tobacco (nonsmoking cessation)
• Urinary tract infections
• Vaccines
• Vaginitis
• Women’s health
• Yeast infections

Facility Description

Our academic hospital-based centers have on-site access to a full array of specialized procedures and technologies, and a hospital code team with 24-hour emergency coverage provides added layers of safety. With an onsite clinical lab for same day results, USP pharmacy capabilities, a 50-bed-capacity phase 1 unit and phase 2 to 4 units in Knoxville and New Orleans, we can conduct complex clinical trials, including first-in-human and complex early-phase studies.

On-site imaging services and specialized testing:

• MRI/functional MRI
• Open MRI
• CT
• PET/CT
• Mammography
• Arthrography
• Bone density
• Nuclear medicine
• Ultrasound
• X-Ray
• Fluoroscopy
• Echocardiography

Investigator Experience

Senior Management

William B. Smith, MD, FACC
Founder, President and Principal Investigator

Dr. Smith is board certified in internal medicine, critical care medicine, nephrology and cardiology. He has been involved in more than 1,500 clinical trials. Dr. Smith is a frequent lecturer and author, publishing extensively in clinical and scientific journals.

Richard L. Gibson, MD
Principal Investigator

Dr. Gibson has been with NOCCR for 15 years. He is board certified in internal medicine, nephrology, psychiatry and forensic psychiatry with an MPH in tropical medicine.

Staff Expertise

Senior Management

Nyda Brook, JD
Vice President and General Counsel

Ms. Brook has been with NOCCR since 1999. Prior to joining our team, she practiced healthcare law in New Orleans.

Sandra Gibson, RN, MBA
Operations Director

Ms. Gibson has been with NOCCR since 1999. She is certified in nephrology and critical care nursing, as well as clinical research coordination.

Other Information

While NOCCR is and has been open to working with a central IRB, a majority of our studies are reviewed and followed by Crescent City IRB, a local nonprofit organization.

Volunteer enrollment services

• 26,000-volunteer database, regularly reviewed and cleaned
• Dedicated recruitment staff utilize social and web-based media extensively along with traditional advertising resources
• Variety of advertising mediums
• Competitive volunteer stipends

Rapid start-up services

• Five to seven days for IRB review
• Seven days for contracting process
• Five- to 10-day source generation and staff training