Clinical Research

Since 1976, the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has been designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As such, the Cancer Center is dedicated to excellence and adherence to the highest ethical standards in both the delivery of patient care and the conduct of research.

The UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center offers cancer clinical trials throughout its Oncology Clinical Trials Network. The Network offers clinical trials to cancer patients at a wide range of locations. These include UCLA Hospitals, Main Campus clinics in Westwood and Santa Monica, UCLA owned-and-operated community oncology practices across California, and throughout the United States via the TRIO-US Network (Translational Research in Oncology-US).

To search for cancer clinical trials at UCLA, please visit our clinical trials search tool. You can also call the Clinical Trials Hotline at 855-731-6040(Link opens phone app).

Infrastructure and Operations

Clinical research infrastructure and operations reside under the Cancer Center's Clinical Research Unit (CRU), which works to ensure all patients have access to cutting-edge cancer clinical trials throughout Los Angeles, California, and the nation. The four CRU divisions are listed below.

Clinical Research Support Services Division (CRSS)

The CRSS Division, led by Maggie Lindenbaum(Link sends email), is responsible for: administration of scientific review of all cancer clinical research studies through the Cancer Center's Disease Site Groups and the Internal Scientific Peer Review Committee; administration of the Data Safety and Monitoring Board; standardized clinical research training and education for faculty and staff; regulatory compliance, monitoring and auditing of investigator-initiated studies with DSMB oversight; and federally required reporting.

Clinical Trials Development Division (CTD)

The CTD Division, led by Christine Kivork(Link sends email), is responsible for soup-to-nuts support for the development and execution of investigator initiated clinical trials. Services include but are not limited to: concept development and protocol writing; study activation and regulatory coordination; clinical trial execution; and manuscript preparation.

Clinical Research Execution Services Division (CRES)

The CRES Division, led by Kim Kelly(Link is external), is responsible for cancer clinical trial study activation and study execution, including patient-facing duties and clinical trial management, regulatory compliance, internal quality monitoring and auditing at UCLA's hospitals, and Main Campus clinics in Westwood and Santa Monica.

Community Oncology Research Services Division (CORS)

The CORS Division, led by Lori Glass(Link sends email), is responsible for study execution, including patient-facing duties and clinical trial management, regulatory compliance, internal quality monitoring and auditing for UCLA owned-and-operated community oncology practices throughout California.

Protocol Review Committees and Quality Assurance

The NCI requires that each cancer center has a Protocol Review and Monitoring System (PRMS) to assess scientific merit and feasibility of all protocols studying subjects diagnosed with, or at risk for, cancer conducted at our Cancer Center and to monitor for accrual and scientific relevance. At its core, the PRMS is responsible for ensuring all clinical research has a sound design with scientific merit and undergoes a rigorous review. The overall PRMS process requires assessment of clinical research protocols at two levels: Disease Site Group review through the 15 Cancer Center Disease Site Groups and centralized cancer center review through the Internal Scientific Peer Review Committee (ISPRC).

The Disease Site Groups and ISPRC are required to evaluate all oncology clinical research studies prior to implementation at UCLA. ISPRC also reviews protocol amendments and annual accrual activity as they are submitted.

Additionally, investigator-initiated interventional clinical research protocols require Data and Safety Monitoring oversight through the Cancer Center's Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). DSMB approval is required after DSG approval and before ISPRC submission.

Proper conduct of clinical trials in oncology is ensured by the Internal Quality Assurance Program, established in 1986.