By introducing new medicines and therapies, clinical trials—and the study teams behind them—change lives.
To recognize the importance of this work, the Association of Clinical Research Professionals designated May 20 as Clinical Trials Day in 2014, highlighting the observance annually since that time. At Fox Chase Cancer Center, the Office of Clinical Research (OCR) celebrated this year with its second annual luncheon.
“Our team is committed to advancing the science and medicine of cancer care to improve the lives of our patients and the communities we serve through clinical trials,” said Teena Kochukoshy, MD, MS, AVP, Office of Clinical Research at Fox Chase. “We uphold the highest standards to promote excellence in clinical research and to carry out this work ethically, responsibly, and compassionately.”
Celebrated globally, Clinical Trials Day marks the day that James Lind, a ship’s surgeon aboard the British Royal Navy’s HMS Salisbury, started what is often considered the first randomized clinical trial (in this case, to study the effects of different treatments on scurvy in sailors), on May 20, 1774. While patrolling the Bay of Biscay off the coast of France, many of the Salisbury’s sailors became afflicted with scurvy. Using the moment to study some supposed cures, Lind divided 12 sailors into six groups of two. By the fifth day of the trial, the lucky arm of scorbutic sailors who had received oranges and lemons were already recovering, with one deemed entirely fit for duty.
Fox Chase’s professionals carry on this legacy in their dedication to cancer patients every day. This year, the OCR featured the inaugural Annual Clinical Research Professional (CRP) Awards with a committee comprised of primary investigators and members of senior leadership selecting awardees from a pool of peer-nominated candidates in three categories.
“Teamwork is paramount. Recognizing and acknowledging each member’s contributions not only fosters a supportive environment but also fuels motivation and inspiration that translates to improved patient outcomes,” said Wencesley Paez, MD, MS, Director, Clinical Research Operations Unit, Office of Clinical Research. “The nominees and award recipients have exemplified this theme and are deserving of accolades.”
Innovation Achievement Award: Cheyenne Pagan, BS, ACRP-CP
The Innovation Achievement Award was designed to foster a culture of innovation and excellence within the OCR and recognize outstanding contributions that drive advancements in clinical research methodologies, technologies, and outcomes.
Cheyenne Pagan is a Clinical Research Monitor in the OCR. Her role is to audit clinical research trials that result from investigator-sponsored studies at Fox Chase.
Among Pagan’s many contributions was her improvement to the Red Cap survey creation tool, which provides multiple-choice/open-ended coding features in the electronic case report form (ECRF). The Red Cap tool was causing issues for coordinators and physicians alike regarding enrollment in Dr. Julia Judd’s TH-214 trial. According to Pagan, there was some deviation at some point regarding how the system evaluated patient risk factors.
“The calculation was complex, and the coded features were not providing the best output,” explained Pagan. “It took a little bit of math, but we simplified the coding and took out the biggest risks from human error – the end result was that patients would be allocated to the correct treatment group.”
While Pagan was not in attendance at Clinical Trials Day (she was on vacation in Paris to see Taylor Swift perform, in fact), she recalls being “gobsmacked” when she heard the news.
“I was disappointed that I couldn’t be there, but that was tempered with gratitude that what I do could make a difference,” Pagan said.
Rising Star Achievement Award: Colbi Carr, BSN, RN
The Rising Star Achievement Award is given to an outstanding OCR employee who has worked in any capacity within the office for two years or less.
Colbi Carr is part of the Clinical Research Thoracic Unit. She works with eligible patients through the screening and consent process, submits eligibility to Quality Assurance, and ultimately registers patients for the trial. Once enrolled, she becomes the patient’s care coordinator, scheduling appointments and attending to their needs and concerns.
She joined Fox Chase in December 2022 with the aspiration of building a career in clinical research. Since then, she has become a noted team player, primarily in the thoracic team, but also willing to help out in the other disciplines. As a recent employee, she also lent her expertise to colleagues, developing a new orientation for clinical research nurses.
“In nursing school, I discovered clinical research for the first time, so I was eager to move at a good opportunity,” said Carr. “It is a huge change from bedside care and very rewarding. I think my next steps will involve further certification, and I look forward to sitting in for the OCN exam.”
Legacy Achievement Award: Gail Duncan, BS, CCRP
The Legacy Achievement Award was created to honor individuals within the OCR who have demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership, and impact over their tenure, contributing significantly to the advancement of clinical research within the organization and beyond.
Although she has been at Fox Chase for 44 years—14 of them as a Quality Assurance Manager in the OCR—Gail Duncan believes she is still writing her legacy in the office and that she has much work left to do.
As Quality Assurance Manager, it is her role to protect the safety of patients in clinical trials. She and her team conduct eligibility reviews, audit trials, and generally review the studies. She began in 2010 as an auditor for what was then called the Extramural Research Program, looking into multi-site trials conducted by Fox Chase researchers.
Duncan has a bachelor’s degree in biology and has spent her entire career in research. She began work as a bench scientist in the laboratory of the late W. Thomas London, MD, who worked in Hepatitis B research under the mentorship of Fox Chase’s first Nobelist, Baruch Blumberg, MD, PhD. As the London lab wound down, Duncan found a second career as a quality assurance auditor.
“If you want to talk about legacy, there is no better place than Fox Chase,” said Duncan. “It was wonderful and nice to be part of the International Clinical Trials Day and really get to celebrate all the different achievements of the OCR.”