Overview
The Clinical Research Unit (CRU) is a dedicated research facility designed to provide medical scientists with the resources and conditions necessary to conduct clinical research in an effective and efficient manner. The CRU supports over 150 studies, including investigator-initiated and industry studies, representing all phases of clinical research, including Phase I (first in human) clinical trials.
Scope of Services:
- Research Subject Advocate (RSA)
- Evaluates all research study applications submitted to the CRU for safety.
- Works with principal investigators, study coordinators, and CRU nurses to ensure research is conducted in compliance with IRB and CRU approvals.
- Performs regular rounds with CRU nurse manager on study participants.
- All RN staff in patient/participant care are:
- BLS- and chemotherapy-certified.
- Trained in human subjects research and Good Clinical Practice.
- Trained on patient safety and fidelity to the research protocol.
- Dietary Support:
- The CRU is supported by UW Health’s Nutrition services – meals are available for subjects required to fast prior to their visit (and visit includes additional study activities) and for longer visits that extend over a meal time.
- Limited Clinical Research Dietician services are available, such as to create study-specific menus for research protocols requiring certain meal specifications for study visits carried out on the CRU.
- CRU Sample Processing Lab (non-diagnostic):
- Located on both CRUs and supported by CRU staff.
- Secured via badge access only.
- Able to support simple processing of research samples and short-term storage.
- Includes room temp and refrigerated centrifuges, biosafety cabinet, a lab grade refrigerator, -20- and -80-degree Celsius freezers.
- Primex temperature monitoring system.
- Note: CRU does not ship samples.
- CRU Space:
- We offer two CRUs that both support study visits in adult subject populations (ages ≥ 18):
- This information is also available in a Word document.
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- University Hospital CRU – watch the facility tour
- Located on D6/6 at UW Hospital (600 Highland Ave., Madison)
- Supports outpatient visits and overnight stays
- Open 24 hours from 7 a.m. Monday to 11 p.m. Friday
- 15 private rooms with beds and five treatment bays (chairs)
- Able to support negative airflow isolation
- Oxygen and suction capabilities
- ACLS crash cart on unit
- Emergency response:
- Dedicated response teams
- Outpatients transported to ER
- Able to support subjects on telemetry (i.e., cardiac monitoring) and four rooms hardwired for bedside cardiac monitoring
- Eastpark Medical Center CRU – watch the facility tour
- Located at 2S at Eastpark Medical Center (4621 Eastpark Blvd, Madison)
- Supports outpatient visits (≤ 10 hours in length)
- Open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday
- 14 private rooms (six with beds and eight with chairs)
- Able to support negative airflow isolation
- Oxygen and suction capabilities
- BLS crash cart on unit
- Emergency response:
- All available staff in response zone respond to overhead page
- 911 also called for transport to ER
- University Hospital CRU – watch the facility tour
Publications arising from any research project receiving support from ICTR, regardless of funding source, must acknowledge support by stating:
“The project described was supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, through the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), grant UL1TR002373. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.”
PLEASE NOTE: ICTR support includes not only direct fiscal support such as funding for pilots, but also ICTR resources like scientific editing, use of the Clinical Research Unit, CRU consults, ICTR Scientific Review Committee review, and consultations in biostatistics.
