Division of Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Program

Specifically, researchers perform studies in the areas of HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections (herpes, human papillomavirus, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia), and sexual behavioral medicine. The division’s research group conducts trials to determine the usefulness of vaccines to prevent infections and to discover new medicines for treating existing infections. Investigators also conduct studies to learn more about how infectious agents interact with humans to cause disease, which helps them to devise new ways to protect everyone from illness. The overall goal is to improve the quality of life of patients with infectious diseases and to reduce the spread of these infections.

Study volunteers are evaluated in the Bell Flower Clinic, first floor Fifth Third Faculty Office Building at 640 Eskenazi Avenue and at the Clinical Research Center (CRC) on the 5th floor of University Hospital at 550 N. University Blvd.

The Infectious Diseases Research group within the Division of Infectious Diseases at Indiana University School of Medicine also includes physicians from the Division of Adolescent Medicine and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology who study infections.

Clinical Research Support

Investigators in the Division of Infectious Diseases at IU School of Medicine has experience conducting Phase I throughPhase III clinical trials and are supported by certified research specialists, nurse practitioners and data managers. All staff have completed training in human subject protection (CITI) and GCP training as well as biological shipment training. This staff has experience with a variety of electronic data capture (EDC) programs.

Clinical Research Facilities

For Phase I trials involving intense pharmacokinetic sampling (or other kinds of intense monitoring), the Division of Infectious Diseases Research has access to the Indiana CTSI Clinical Research Center, located on the fifth floor of University Hospital.

Indiana Clinical Research Center

For Phase I trials involving intense pharmacokinetic sampling (or other kinds of intense monitoring), the Division of Infectious Diseases Research has access to the Indiana CTSI Clinical Research Center, located on the fifth floor of University Hospital. This facility has highly skilled and experienced registered nurses to carry out the research protocols. An Assistant Nurse Manager works with a staff of seven full-time RNs and a pool of hourly nurses. The nursing staff is certified in BLS, CPR, Human Subject Research, and Class A Hazardous Drug administration. Their expertise includes backgrounds in obstetrics, med/surgery, pediatrics, special diagnostics, telemetry, ER, trauma, adult ICU and FDA research. The equipment available on the CRC includes EKG, glucose analyzer, IV pumps, IV syringe (BD) pumps, Dynamaps, Accu-check, pulse-ox stat, code cart, subject scales and drug scales. CRC Specimen Reception provides sample processing, sample storage for up to one week, dry ice, point of care testing, and transfer of samples to IU Health pathology.

Bell Flower Clinic

Most of this group’s Phase II, III trials are conducted at the Bell Flower building. There are four outpatient exam rooms, a locked storage area for study medications, a series of locking cabinets and files for source documents, computers for EDC, a laboratory with monitored -80 and -20 freezers and a monitored refrigerator as well as work space for monitors. Other equipment includes a tabletop centrifuge and an EKG machine.

This lab also has access to the Infectious Diseases Laboratory (located about three blocks away), which has more sophisticated centrifuges, liquid nitrogen storage tanks and diagnostic equipment including ELISA readers and real time PCR systems.