Leadership
Under the guidance of our leadership team, the CTRU is comprised of nurses and scientists, researchers, and administrators—a team of well-trained, compassionate, personable, and patient-focused caregivers united in our goal to connect patients with novel therapeutics in a healthcare setting filled with a diverse and capable research staff.
We believe the integration of translational research and good clinical practice leads to measurable improvements in health and well-being. And we constantly strive to uphold a positive and safe environment, with patients at the forefront.
CTRU Leadership Team
Ruth O' Hara, PhD
Senior Associate Dean for Research
Dr. O’Hara, Senior Associate Dean for Research at the Stanford University School of Medicine, provides high level oversight to all research centers associated with the School of Medicine, including the CTRU. She is also the Director of Spectrum, Stanford’s Center for Clinical and Translational Research and Education. She directs a broad interdisciplinary clinical research program, encompassing cellular models, physiological predictors, and brain and behavioral assays of psychiatric, medical, and cognitive disorders. Her current research interests are in sleep, pediatrics, and aging.
Mark Pegram, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Pegram is the Suzy Yuan-Huey Hung Endowed Professor of Medical Oncology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He currently serves as the Associate Director of Clinical Research at the Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Institute (SCCI). He also serves as the Associate Dean for Clinical Research Quality at the Stanford University School of Medicine, and is the Medical Director of the Stanford Clinical Translational Research Unit—a unit specializing in first-in-human, Phase 1 clinical trials.
Amrita Herkal
CTRU Director
Amrita Herkal is Director of the Clinical and Translational Research Unit (CTRU) at the Stanford University School of Medicine, where she provides oversight for the unit’s clinic and laboratory teams and operations. The CTRU accelerates research to improve health by facilitating the translation of research therapeutics and technologies into clinical applications. It is the institute’s largest research-focused ambulatory care and laboratory services group, serving several first-in-human trials in both adult and pediatric populations.