Northside Hospital Cancer Institute is proud to highlight our key role in piloting a new statewide clinical research training program designed to strengthen oncology research teams across Georgia.
Announced by the Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education (CORE) on National Clinical Trials Day, CORE Research Fundamentals is a two-day, in-person training program created to equip cancer clinical research professionals with the knowledge, tools and confidence needed to successfully conduct oncology clinical trials.
“This training program is an effort to answer the call for the widely cited shortages of research talent within the industry,” said Margaret Ferreira, research program director for Northside’s cancer institute. “Developing a strong research team is essential to clinical trial implementation, and this course sets the foundation to do just that.”
Northside participated in the pilot program through its involvement in the Georgia National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program grant partnership, known as Georgia NCORP. Georgia NCORP is a federally funded grant program available only to select community oncology programs.
Alongside other Georgia NCORP partners, Northside’s clinical research teams, including the Blood & Marrow Transplant (BMT), Leukemia and Immunotherapy programs, provided feedback that helped shape and strengthen the training program before its statewide launch.
"BMT trials demand absolute precision due to their complexity," said Caitlin Guzowski, clinical research manager for Northside’s BMT, Leukemia and Immunotherapy research programs. "The GA CORE training sessions help equip our research team with the operational expertise needed to navigate these complex cellular therapy protocols, ensure strict regulatory compliance and ultimately grant us the ability to provide potential life-saving therapies to patients."
According to Georgia CORE leaders, the program was developed to address the growing need for standardized, oncology-focused training as clinical research continues to expand across community and academic settings. The training is intended to help research sites improve trial execution, regulatory compliance and data quality while reducing onboarding delays and protocol inconsistencies.
Northside's support of Georgia CORE has helped the organization provide this program to research teams across the state, which in turn helps elevate Georgia as a whole.
Georgia CORE is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to advancing cancer research and improving access to clinical trials for patients across Georgia.
LEARN MORE ABOUT NORTHSIDE'S PARTNERSHIP WITH GEORGIA CORE.
FIND CANCER RESEARCH AND CLINICAL TRIALS AT NORTHSIDE.
Pictured above are members of Northside Hospital’s Blood & Marrow Transplant clinical research team. Top row, from left: Jasmine Elliott, research data specialist; Ashanti McPhee, clinical research nurse; Caitlin Guzowski, clinical research manager; Kirkland Armstrong, clinical research coordinator; Kola Ogunjinmi, research data specialist. Seated, from left: Jaye Cunningham, clinical research nurse; Jessica Baill, clinical research nurse; Trenecia Lunceford, clinical research coordinator; Chawndra Salter, clinical research coordinator.
