The Clinical Trials Operations (CTO) Unit serves as an institutional representative and advocate for the UCSF clinical trials community. The CTO aims to identify, assess and prioritize barriers for inclusive and efficient trials, and steward solutions to challenges that adversely impact clinical trials operations.
What We Do
Data & Metrics
Central hub for collection and reporting of clinical trial operations data
Research Navigation
Respond to study team questions
Stewardship & Advocacy
Bring issues and needs toward solution
Training & Communication
Develop and host operations training and serve as an institutional home for the clinical research community
Neeta Thakur, MD Appointed Faculty Director of Clinical Research Operations (CRO)
We are delighted to announce that Neeta Thakur, MD, Associate Professor, Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care, will assume the role of Faculty Director of Clinical Research Operations (CRO) and in this role will oversee Clinical Trials Operations (CTO), with effect on Monday, March 17, 2025.
Dr. Thakur’s research focuses on defining obstructive lung disease phenotypes that exist in racially and ethnically diverse communities and how these are shaped by social and environmental stressors, identifying community-specific drivers that place individuals at high risk for poor outcomes, and co-developing place-based and targeted interventions aimed at social and environmental stressors to improve respiratory outcomes in historically marginalized populations. To successfully achieve these goals, Dr. Thakur employs community-engaged approaches that range from querying community stakeholders for input to participatory action research through our Youth Participatory Action Research program and our environmental justice portfolio.
As Faculty Director, CRO, she will serve as a key partner to assist the AVC-CR, Office of Research leadership, and relevant campus administrative units (e.g. Office of Sponsored Research and IRB) in identifying and addressing priority areas to ensure efficient and effective research operations for studies with human participants, including clinical research and clinical trials.
Dominica Randazzo Named CTO Associate Director
The CTO is happy to announce that after a competitive search Dominica Randazzo will assume the role of Associate Director, CTO, effective Monday, July 10, 2023. Dominica has over 12 years of experience in directing clinical research teams and driving research productivity. She is a member of the Research Action Group for Equity (RAGE) Steering Committee and of the CRC Council, and serves as an expert adviser and trainer for the CTO Training team. In her new role Dominica will be responsible for leading the successful implementation of program objectives, including reporting on trial activation metrics to executive leadership and providing corresponding impact analysis to develop recommendations for data-driven operational changes.
