Abstract:
Clinical trials are the workhorse of testing new treatments with regards to evaluating the effect they have on health outcomes. Traditional clinical trials and clinical research studies are often centralized around a specific physical location such as a clinic or hospital and rely heavily on a “high-touch”, in-person approach with study staff and coordinators. The downstream effects can have a negative impact on recruitment from populations not affiliated with the site despite potentially benefiting the most from the proposed research. Decentralizing the model and designing for the participant to meet them where they are provides a new paradigm. The advent and continued advance of digital health technologies has added considerable flexibility in the types of research questions that can be asked and answered.
Biography:
- Edward Ramos, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at CareEvolution; Director and co-founder of the Digital Trials Center at Scripps Research
- Dr. Ramos’ work is based on the growing need to rethink clinical research studies by leveraging digital health technologies and embracing decentralized, “site-less” approaches, which can promote broad participation without sacrificing robust data collection. Ed’s leadership roles focus on overseeing implementation of digital research studies in a variety of research contexts including infectious disease, maternal health, sleep medicine, and precision nutrition (where he serves as the primary investigator). Ed prioritizes efforts to address health disparities and to enhance participation in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive manner. Prior to this dual role, Ed served in the federal government for nearly 15 years. There, he led independent research projects and has been coordinating and administering large-scale national research efforts. His expertise spans population genomics, bioinformatics, mobile health, and digital clinical trials. In his previous positions serving in various capacities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ed oversaw and managed portfolios that focused on innovative and groundbreaking initiatives aimed at improving public health. Most recently, Ed was Team Lead for the Participant Center of the All of Us Research Program, an ambitious program launched by NIH inviting one million people across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history, which could help in the development of better treatments and ways to prevent different diseases. Ed began his federal service as a legislative fellow and legislative assistant, advising then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama on health and science policy. He received his Ph.D. in molecular biotechnology from the University of Washington with his thesis work carried out at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.