Pediatric Clinical Research Center (PCRC)
The PCRC facilitates investigator-initiated and pharmaceutical industry-sponsored Phase I-V clinical research efforts throughout the Pediatric Campus at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Faculty and staff are trained and experienced in conducting clinical trials in children.
Location and Description
The PCRC is housed within the Child Health Institute of New Jersey (directly adjacent to the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital) and is a fully staffed and equipped clinical research facility capable of conducting both inpatient and outpatient pediatric clinical trials.
The PCRC is an academic clinical research center within the Department of Pediatrics at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and offers direct connections to a wide array of experienced clinical and basic scientists. The Pediatric Campus includes The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the Child Health Institute of New Jersey, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Children’s Specialized Hospital (2008) providing the children of New Jersey a place where they can find treatment for any problem, and where every facet of normal and abnormal development will be a subject of research and teaching.
Services and Equipment
The PCRC is a fully staffed and equipped clinical research facility capable of conducting both inpatient and outpatient pediatric clinical trials.
The PCRC offers:
- Direct connections to a wide array of experienced clinical and basic scientists at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Child Health Institute of New Jersey and the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University
- Provides the infrastructure and core services designed to facilitate clinical research throughout the entire children’s campus
- Logistical Assistance: We assist investigators in acquiring and launching new studies, and provide recruitment and data collection assistance if needed
- Regulatory Assistance: We assist investigators in completion of regulatory documentation, IRB submission and oversight
- Outreach: We assist investigators in developing agreements with pharmaceutical corporations, Clinical Research Organizations, and Site Management Organizations
Leadership

Sunanda Gaur, MD, MBBS
Professor of Pediatrics, RWJMS
Director, Clinical Research Center
Director, RWJ AIDS Program
gaursu@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Maya Ramagopal, MD
Assistant Director
Associate Professor
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
ramagoma@rutgers.edu
Lisa Cerracchio, BSN, RN-BC, CCRC
Nurse Manager
PCRC - Meet the Staff
Rachel Gart | Nurse Coordinator |
Christina Varghese | Clinical Research Coordinator |
Yue Hao | Regulatory Coordinator |
Megha Soni | Laboratory Technician |
Elizabeth George | Research Pharmacist |
Mark Rusay | Research Pharmacist |
Chethram Nauth | Pharmacy Technician |
Sherri Gzemski | Senior Financial Analyst |
Sylvia Rodrigo | Program Support Specialist |