About the Clinical Research Center

Hours of Operation:

  • Galveston ITS – CRC Outpatient Unit: Monday–Friday from 7 am–5 pm
  • Galveston ITS – CRC Inpatient Unit: 24/7 services (for approved, scheduled studies)
  • League City Satellite Outpatient Unit: Monday–Friday from 7 am–5 pm

The Institute for Translational Sciences (ITS) Clinical Research Center (CRC) is located on the 5th floor of Waverley Smith Pavilion which is centrally located between Jennie and John Sealy Hospitals at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston.  The Galveston ITS-CRC has the capability for in-patient studies. 

Since 1963, UTMB has performed high-quality human subject research at the ITS-CRC, providing critical resources to investigators throughout the lifespan of projects that include special populations and orphan diseases. The ITS-CRC provides a conducive environment for Phase I – Phase IV clinical trials, PI-initiated studies, and industry-sponsored studies. The ITS-CRC provides comprehensive services including nursing, bionutrition, and laboratory technical support. The ITS-CRC unit provides in-patient and out-patient exam rooms as well as equipment for exercise and metabolic studies. Expansion of ITS-CRC research services was complete in July 2022 when a Satellite Clinic opened at UTMB League City Campus (LCC). The satellite unit provides an opportunity to investigators with CRC-approved protocols to schedule outpatient visits on the mainland. The ITS-CRC Satellite Clinic is located at the UTMB Clinics building rooms 2.204A (Unit) and 2.204 (Core Laboratory).  To ensure best practices, we also provide hands-on training through our Clinical Research Practicum open to researchers and their staff to practice the skills covered in UTMB’s clinical research training. The practicum offers training in a one-on-one or small group setting where participants can role-play and review essential research functions.

Services provided by the ITS-CRC are made possible by continued support from UTMB and the implementation of a cost recovery program.  In 2015 the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) announced that Clinical Research Centers (CRCs) would no longer be directly supported by the grant.  To mitigate expenses, ITS-CRC developed a cost recovery program for services provided by CRC.  The revenue generated is used to maintain service levels and provide training and resources to clinical investigators and research teams.  It is important to meet with our ITS-CRC team to review your proposed study and get an estimate of cost recovery charges to include in your budget.  Please contact Liz Ruiz at ebruiz@utmb.edu to schedule.

For more information about the ITS-CRC, contact Lamonne Crutcher, RN, BSN, CCRP at lmcrutch@utmb.edu.  For ITS-CRC Protocol Application Process questions, contact Liz Ruiz at ebruiz@utmb.edu.