Clinical Research Unit

Image of CRU Staff

Helping to Build Tomorrow's Standard of Care

The Clinical Research Unit (CRU) is a 20,000 square foot area located in General Hospital 2 Boyd Tower at the University of Iowa Healthcare main campus. The CRU offers the physical space and experienced interdisciplinary support staff to conduct and complete clinical research at the University of Iowa. The CRU supports high quality human subjects research and research processes that are integrated with UI’s clinical and translational research agenda. We also offer our research support to Investigators throughout Iowa.

The CRU, supported by the Carver College of Medicine and Early Phase Trials Unit, assists with numerous Phase I-IV clinical research studies. The CRU offers comprehensive services including Nursing, Laboratory, Pulmonary, and Bionutrition services. Additionally, the CRU provides mobile nursing services to assist clinical research studies conducted on inpatient units or outpatient clinics within the hospital. Investigators are encouraged to utilize the full range of support services offered by the CRU.

 

Contact Information

Front Desk & Scheduling Questions - 61060                                                                                                                                                 

Nurse's Station - 61061

Lab - 47395

Bionutrition - 48317

Pulmonary Physiology Lab - 49971

CRU Staff

Alejandro ComellasDirector, Clinical Research Support

Alejandro Comellas, MD

Professor of Medicine

Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine, University of Iowa

 

 

Jackline Wangui-VerryAssistant Director, Clinical Research Unit

Jackie Mwangi Wangui, MSN, RN-BC

Email - jackline-wangui-verry@uiowa.edu



 

 

Staff Nurses Nursing Assistant  
Renee Madden, BSN, RN, CMSRN Jackie Ortiz, NA  
Wendy Sauter, BS, BSN, RN    
Holly Clubb, BSN, RN, CPN Unit Clerk Pulmonary Physiology Lab
Missy Dean, BSN, RN, CMSRN Katrina Norton, RMA Justin Kuhn, BS RRT-ACCS/NPS
Kara Yoder, MSN, RN, RN-BC    
Charlie Terzano Borovic, BSN, RN Laboratory Vascular Imaging 
Ashley Pieper, BSN, RN, CMSR Tiffany Wellington, Research Lab Manager Jeni Michelson, Research Specialist
Krista Crump, RN, ONC    
Page Scovel, BSN, RN, CCR (Hourly Staff) Bionutrition  
Jane Weber, BSN, RN (Hourly Staff) Gregory Peak  
Marina Reynolds, BSN, RN, OCN (Hourly Staff)    

 

Available Services

The following CRU services are available. Please visit I-CART (https://i-cart.icts.uiowa.edu) to request and learn more about our services.

Available procedures:

  • Acquiring ECGs
  • Anthropometry
  • Body composition analysis
  • Complex medication administration and monitoring
  • Complicated pharmacokinetic sampling
  • Exercise stress testing
  • Insulin clamp studies
  • Oral glucose tolerance tests
  • Patient education
  • Pulmonary function testing
  • Resting energy expenditure
  • Storage, packaging, and shipping of specimens from IATA certified lab
  • Vaccinations
  • Venipuncture: phlebotomy, intravenous catheters, port access
  • Much more...

CRU staff are not confined to this list of procedures and are continually learning and extending their abilities to meet investigators' needs. If you don't see what you need on this list, please contact us to learn how we can help you.

 

Resources

Physical Space Available Equipment
14 outpatient exam rooms Vital signs machine with pulse oximetry
5 consult rooms Alaris infusion pumps
3 procedure rooms Portable ECG machine
Infusion bay (5 chairs, 2 beds) Electronic wheelchair scale
W218 - Physical Therapy Table Electronic standing scale
  Vein View - near-infrared vein visualization system
Additional support space -80 freezers
Biospecimen Processing Lab Variable speed and temperature centrifuges
Bionutrition Bio-Safety Cabinet
Body Composition Lab Pulmonary Function System with Whole Body Plethsysmograph
Cardio-Pulmonary Physiology Lab Metabolic car/Cardiopulmonary Exercise gas exchange system
Cardio-Vascular Physiology Lab Upright and recumbent bicycle ergometers
Bone Density Lab Treadmill
Functional Vascular Imaging Lab High output ultrasonic nebulizer
Pediatric and Adult phlebotomy rooms Nitric Oxide analyzer for FeNO and nasal NO testing
2 Negative Pressure Exam Rooms (13 & 14)  

EPIC Scheduling

When booking an appointment or other resources with the CRU, please complete the request through the CRU EPIC Schedule.  This system replaced the old web-based Calpendo system of requesting a visit for research subjects in the CRU.

Support

Document - Snap Board Scheduling Document link

Video - Clinical Research Clinic Snapboard Scheduling link

Video - Clinical Research Clinic Advanced Scheduling - Joint Appointments link

EPIC Order Set Building

To request EPIC order set building, please follow the instructions below:

If you have questions about Epic Scheduling or would like to learn more, please contact Katrina Norton

Phone: 319-356-1060

Email:katrina-norton@uiowa.edu