Conducting Clinical Trials at SERI: The SERI Research Clinic
SERI is pre-eminent in its position as a centre for leading ophthalmic and vision research in Asia-Pacific. Our multiple collaborations with renowned local and international research and academic institutions also serve as a testament to the quality and credibility of the research conducted at SERI.
The SERI Research Clinic is a research facility that houses several consultation rooms with specialist state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge tools to conduct comprehensive clinical trials and research studies. This is further supported by a symbiotic network of research personnel, including a dedicated team of research fellows, optometrists, coordinators, nurses, imaging technicians, data entry personnel and statisticians, as well as ophthalmologists from the various public-centre eye hospitals i.e. SNEC, NUHS, TTSH, etc.
This research team is able to conduct a wide range of long and short-term studies, encompassing the entire spectrum of FIM (First-In-Man) and phase I to phase IV clinical trials for drugs, implants and devices. Since its inception in 1997, the SERI Research Clinic has performed more than 500 clinical and epidemiology studies (including more than 100 randomised controlled trials) to evaluate visual impairment in the community. Today, the SERI Research Clinic typically has more than 100 studies ongoing at any one time. These studies encompass clinical trials, research studies, epidemiology studies, ocular imaging studies and Health Service Research studies.
Facility Description
Located on level 7 of SNEC (the largest eye specialist centre in Singapore) with a well-equipped and patient-friendly environment, our facility includes:
Five consultation rooms, including refraction rooms, all equipped with phoropters and slit-lamp biomicroscopes.
An in-house pharmacy and an Investigational Products (IP) room with the appropriate and secure drug storage refrigerators and cabinets.
State-to-the-art equipment such as the Optical Coherence Tomography (e.g. Spectralis, Triton, Cirrus and CASSIA OCT for posterior segment imaging, Ultra Biomicroscopy (UBM), Confocal Microscopy, Heidelberg Retinal Tomography (HRT III), Ziemer GALILEI G6, IOL Master, Humphrey Visual Field Analysers, Endothelial Cell Count, Pneumatonometer, RAPDx pupilometer, CORVIS, and digital ophthalmic cameras such as the slit lamp and retinal cameras are also available.
A robust and systematic schedule of equipment inspection and maintenance, to ensure the smooth and effective conduct of all trial-related activities.
Manpower Resources
Committed to ensuring a high standard of research excellence, our more than 50 study personnel, including clinical research fellows, optometrists, coordinators, nurses, data management and statistical support teams, are CITI-certified, HBRA and ICH GCP-trained.
In most instances, a clinical trial conducted at the SERI Research Clinic will be assigned a team comprising of the following personnel:
Principal Investigator
Project Manager
Co-Investigators
Clinical Research Coordinator
Research Optometrist
Research Nurses
Data management and statistical support expertise, when required
Clinical Trials Capabilities
SERI has the expertise and experience to conduct all forms of ophthalmic and vision research clinical trials/studies, involving both drug-related and/or medical devices, in all of the sub-specialties including:
Corneal Diseases & Refractive Surgery
Ocular Inflammation / Uveitis
Paediatric-Ophthalmology
Childhood Myopia
Health Service Research
Cataract
Neuro-Ophthalmology
Retinal Diseases
Epidemiology studies
Glaucoma
Oculoplastic
Optometry
Dry Eyes
Participant Recruitment
The SERI Research Clinic personnel are diligent and experienced in recruiting study participants, with emphasis on personalised attention, as well as a strict adherence to the highest ethical standards. This has resulted in our studies enjoying a high and exemplary retention rate, as well as a cohort of happy and compliant study participants. The centralised location and easy accessibility to the eye clinics at the SNEC, as well as Singapore’s multi-ethnic (Chinese, Malay and Indian) population, makes the SERI Research Clinic one of the most ideal and conducive hubs for the conduct of impactful and successful clinical trials and research studies.
As the comfort, safety and well-being of our study participants are of paramount importance to us, we consistently solicit feedback from them to continuously improve our services, and concurrently ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all our study participants.
The SERI Research Clinic remains steadfast in our alignment to SERI’s Vision and Mission through our unwavering commitment to address sight-threatening disorders within our society and across Asia. This is clearly reflected in our concerted and sustained efforts to conduct high quality and impactful clinical trials and research studies with the ultimate aim to tackle and combat the region’s most prevalent eye diseases. In this quest of ours, we are humbled and remain grateful to our study participants who have supported and participated in our studies. They remain the focus of our research.
Support Services by SERI Administration
(in conjunction with research conducted at the SERI Research Clinic)
Sponsor liaison/contact point
Feasibility queries and negotiation of research-related legal contracts
Consultation on study costs/budget and pricing of research at SERI/SNEC, as well as assistance to formulate and formalise study budgets
Logistics, administrative and planning support for new studies, including the required due diligence in terms of ethical (IRB), legal and regulatory (HSA), Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), Human Biomedical Research Act (HBRA) requirements
Advice and information on funding opportunities
Development of knowledge transfer, intellectual property management, technology exploitation and commercialisation activities
Administration of peer-reviewed competitive grants, as well as intra-mural grants i.e. from initial point of submission to the disbursement of funds and concurrent claims to funding body
Head
Assoc Prof Monisha Nongpiur
Deputy Head
Dr Natalia Porporato
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