Clinical Research Asst II

The Ressler Neurobiology of Fear Laboratory at McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, is hiring a full-time clinical research assistant for onboarding as soon as possible. Our lab uses translational approaches to identify biomarkers of trauma-spectrum and dissociative disorders. We are looking for a highly motivated and independent individual to join a team of clinical research assistants working with the McLean Hospital Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders to coordinate several research studies and recruit eligible patients in an inpatient setting. This position would be an excellent fit for individuals with a minimum of one year of relevant research experience who plan to apply to medical school or graduate school in psychology / neuroscience and seek additional research experience and clinical exposure.

"Rapid Reversal of Suicidal Depression: Comparative Effectiveness of ECT vs Ketamine over the Lifespan" is a large-scale study sponsored by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). There is a crisis in the treatment of the imminently suicidal patient. Acute Suicidal Depression (ASD) is a life-threatening illness which requires rapid relief. A number of behavioral programs with varying efficacy are available for prevention of suicide. However, once acute suicidal depression has set in, its treatment is woefully inadequate in the current health system despite availability of efficacious treatments. Patients suffering from ASD are usually admitted as inpatients for safety and started on oral antidepressants (which can take 6 - 12 weeks to have an effect) and given nursing care. They are then discharged from the hospital, usually within 4 -5 days, as soon as immediate safety concerns are ameliorated. Essentially, patients do not receive any specific rapidly acting treatment for their suicidal depression. The immediate post-discharge period has been shown to be of the highest risk for repeat suicide attempts and completed suicides. One important reason for the inadequate treatment of ASD is the lack of large-scale comparative studies of efficacious treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and subanesthetic dose intravenous ketamine (KET). In the absence of data to guide rational treatment choice, neither treatment is being used adequately. This study seeks to address this problem.

"The Mass General Brigham (MGB) Biobank" is a large-scale research program sponsored by MGB Personalized Medicine designed to help researchers understand how people's health is affected by their genes, lifestyle, and environment. The MGB Biobank serves investigators who work at Mass General Brigham hospitals, including Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Investigators with approval from the MGB Human Subjects Committee (MGBHRC) may request DNA, plasma, and serum samples, genomic data, as well as linked clinical data and data from a health information survey (data on lifestyle, environment, and family history).

The clinical research assistant will work closely with our existing team of research assistants and report to project managers and/or principal investigators as needed and in regularly scheduled meetings. Other potential responsibilities are as follows: The daily execution of assigned projects; maintaining regulatory compliance; monitoring study files; participant recruitment; data entry and management; scheduling and attending program and study meetings as available; providing administrative support as needed; assistance with preparation of presentations for research and clinical staff; and blood sample collection and processing. Principal duties may vary over time with grant funding and project demands, and with skill level of other staff assigned to projects.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Principal duties may vary over time with grant funding and project demands, and with skill level of other staff assigned to projects.

• Evaluates and recruits potential study participants. Interacts with potential study participants, educating them about the studies including the possible risks/benefits, procedural details, and significance of the studies. Obtains informed consent from potential study participants, tracks consent status using specialized software, maintains study participant records, develops and/or maintains study forms.

• Schedules and conducts patient study visits and tasks which may include clinical assessments; behavioral tasks; neuropsychological tasks; and blood sample collection and processing.

• Works closely with clinical staff (psychiatrists, nurses, social workers) to determine patient research eligibility.

• Administer clinical assessments to patients and report on findings to clinical staff individually and in team rounds

• Responsible for answering study related questions posed via e-mail or phone calls from potential participants and/or the general public. Retains information regarding interested study participants and subjects who decline to participate using specialized software. Refers participants when appropriate to supervisor or clinical staff.

• Maintains regulatory documents, monitors study files, and responsible for some data entry and management.

• Responsible for obtaining and processing blood samples (phlebotomy training will be provided).

• Responsible for mailing and/or emailing various study information or packets and surveys to study participants.

• Assists in preparation and shipment of drawn samples.

• Assists in preparing project presentations, manuscripts, progress reports, and human subjects annual reviews/amendments.

• Monitors and sets up any needed equipment. Maintains inventory, and orders supplies when necessary.

• Assists with the production of patient education material, research newsletters, development of web content and online project communication.

• Ensures on-going data integrity for projects by overseeing data collection and recording, helps ensure fiscal solvency. Performs data analysis and QA/QC data checks.