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cite the GCRC!Welcome
Pittman General Clinical Research Center
| Principal Investigator - Robert R Rich, MD Interim Program Director - David Kimberlin, MD Supported by NIH NCRR MO1 RR00032 |
The GCRC is a special environment for conducting research involving human subjects and provides carefully controlled conditions for properly collecting specimens, developing and serving appropriate diets, and closely monitoring patients for their medical needs as well as scientific evaluation. In addition, the GCRC staff works closely with principal investigators and study coordinators to ensure that protocol study design is followed. Because of the need for a carefully controlled environment, research studies initiated by drug companies are often conducted on the General Clinical Research Center. In this event, the drug company reimburses all costs to the Center grant.The GCRC grant provides payment for inpatient beds, outpatient clinic space, nursing support, nutritional support, limited clinical determinations, limited laboratory equipment, computer facility and support personnel, and biostatistical support for investigator initiated protocols which have been approved by the Scientific Advisory Committee.
In 1959 Congress directed the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish clinical research centers throughout the United States to launch an all-out attack on human diseases. It was through this Congressional mandate that the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) Program was begun in 1960 to help translate basic research into understanding of diseases and clinical patient care. Funded by a grant from the National Center for Research Resources of the NIH, the University of Alabama at Birmingham GCRC was the sixth Center funded and has had continuous funding since 1960. This multidisciplinary facility provides an environment for meticulous control of experimental conditions, close observation and accurate monitoring of biologic phenomena, and the precise measurement of biochemical and physiological events in subjects participating in research activities.
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