The Clinical Research Office (CRO) at PMSF/PRI was created to provide support for clinical trials investigating new therapies and prevention options. The CRO will assist investigators with grant opportunities, patient recruitment and enrollment, regulatory processes, and study coordination. It aims to strengthen clinical research at PMSF by providing infrastructure, quality services, and mentorship to investigators. The CRO currently supports scientists in the U54 program and provides sponsors access to Puerto Rico's researchers and varied patient populations.

1. August 13, 2018
Dear: Pharma & Research Community
Please accept this letter of on behalf of Dr. Roberto Torres, Director of the newly created Clinical Research
Office at PMSF/PRI. The CRO will provide support to scientists investigating possible new therapies as well
as new prevention options. Under the direction of principal investigators and disease-oriented team leaders,
the CRO is responsible for finding, grants opportunities, recruiting, and enrolling eligible patients for clinical
trials and educating patients about clinical trial options.
The CRO is a multi-disciplinary service organization supporting faculty and investigators participating in
federally funded, pharma, new modalities, and investigator-initiated clinical trials. The CRO will assist with
the contracting phases of study start-up, complete the IRB/IACUC submission process, sponsor regulatory
approval processes, and provide study coordinator services.
The CRO will also serve as a point of contact to match faculty investigators with clinical trials sponsors,
expanding the network of sponsors at PHSU/PRI while providing opportunities to new faculty members. The
Clinical Research Office offers regulatory services for both industry-initiated and investigator-initiated
research projects. The goal of our program is to conduct clinical trials of the highest quality standards and we
welcome collaborations with sponsors and the research community.
Our mission is to strengthen PHSU clinical research by providing infrastructure, quality services, and
mentorship assisting new and established investigators through every stage of the research process. Our
vision is to overcome the disparities in clinical research and treatment in Puerto Rico by increasing the
clinical research capacity and providing unique research experiences to investigators, patients, and sponsors.
An important goal of our team is to establish a productive relationship with federal agencies and industry by
understanding the sponsors' goals, timelines and providing an effective centralized process for timely
planning and execution.
Currently, the CRO provides the support to scientists and investigators in the U54 program in collaboration
with the Moffitt Cancer Center team. The CRO provides sponsors with access to Puerto Rico’s premier
medical researchers with large and varied patient populations. The CRO provides a portal to experienced
investigators, faculty, and research teams; dedicated qualified staff and a centralized point of contact
responsible for the development of the industry research needs from a prestigious educational and medical
institution.
We welcome you to contact us to obtain more information about our capabilities and opportunities to further
science.
Best Regards,
Roberto Torres, DHA
Clinical Research Office Director
rtorres@psm.edu
O: 787-840-2575 ext. 5661
C: 214-564-4869